Ted Leonsis gives up active management at AOL

Unlike Al Gore, Ted Leonsis actually did invent the Internet. He was, at least , one of a small number of people who did. Now, he is stepping down from active management at AOL, where he has recently served as president of AOL's audience unit. He will retain his position of vice chairman. His Jan. 1, 2007 management departure follows that of John McKinley, Jr., president of the digital services business, according to the New York Times.

Although Leonsis represents the "old guard" of men like Steve Case and Bob Pittman, he was the best of that group. He had been with AOL long before Pittman arrived and had helped shepherd the company from a relatively small ISP to one of the largest web destinations of that new media called the Internet.

Leonsis was a passionate advocate of AOL as a major platform for content. Since 1993, when he joined the company. Over the years, he has served at president of AOL Core Service, AOL Properties, and the AOL Services company, making him the most broadly experience executive at the company.

He is likely to be missed.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St., Inc.