Lane Venardos, former CBS exec, dies at 67

MAUI, Hawaii -- Lane Venardos, a former CBS News vice president who won numerous awards during his 30 years with the network, has died.

Venardos produced most of CBS News' live coverage of the Persian Gulf War, as well as coverage of political campaigns from 1986 through 1998. He also supervised the coverage of world summits, including the historic meeting between the leaders of China and the Soviet Union in 1989.

He died Friday after suffering a heart attack in his home in Maui, according to CBS spokesman Kevin Tedesco. Venardos was 67.

Venardos worked as executive producer of the "CBS Evening News" and as a vice president for hard news. His work earned him 13 Emmy Awards for his role in the coverage of live news, special events and documentaries.

Venardos' work included a documentary called "48 Hours on Crack Street," for which he won an Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University award.

Venardos retired from CBS in January 2000, but remained a consultant through election night that year, the network said.

"Lane was a wonderful and talented man who had a great gift: He had the ability to make everyone around him smile and laugh no matter what the circumstances," said Jeff Fager, CBS News chairman and executive producer of "60 Minutes."

Venardos is survived by his wife, Karen, four children and a brother. Funeral services will be announced at a later date.-- AP