Wenda Millard Harris Out as ZD Internet Chief

Less than two weeks after ousting head honcho James Dunning from his CEO slot, Ziff Davis Media has parted ways with the president of its Internet division, according to a report in the New York Post.

Wenda Harris Millard, the former DoubleClick executive who became president and chief internet officer of the Ziff Davis Internet subsidiary in December 2000, quietly resigned earlier this week.

ZD Media officials could not be reached Thursday morning to expand on the exclusive newspaper report, which said acting CEO Avy Stein eased Millard out of the job.

It was not immediately clear if Millard gave up her seat on the company’s board of directors.

Millard was a close ally of ousted CEO Jim Dunning and industry watchers say her departure was not unexpected. She had worked closely with Dunning in the mid-1990s and was actually recruited at the height of Dunning’s ambitious $100 million Internet expansion plans.

Millard first worked with Dunning at media/marketing information provider SRDS, where she served as president and group publisher.

Prior to joining SRDS, Millard was senior VP and publisher of Family Circle. She also had stints as executive VP and group publisher of Adweek, Brandweek and Mediaweek magazines.

The New York Post said Willis Stein & Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm that acquired the tech trade-publishing firm for $780 million in December 1999, is looking to put a curb on the aggressive Internet strategy implemented by Dunning.