TANYA SIMON NAMED EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF "60 MINUTES"

Tanya Simon was named Executive Editor of 60 MINUTES, it was announced today by Bill Owens, the newsmagazine's executive producer.

"Tanya is fantastic journalist with two decades worth of reporting at 60 MINUTES. She has been central to this season's strong start, both on TV and our digital platform. I could not ask for a better partner," said Owens.

"I'm humbled and excited to be a part of the team leading 60 MINUTES into its next chapter," said Simon. "It's a place I've considered family for a long time, and I welcome the opportunity to help build upon the world-class journalism that has defined the program for the last 50 years."

The award-winning Simon has worked for the broadcast for nearly 20 years and was one of 60 MINUTES' senior producers. Her responsibilities included overseeing digital content and supervising production of "60 Minutes Sports" for SHOWTIME.

Simon, as a producer and associate producer, played key roles in some of 60 MINUTES' highest-profile reports. On Ed Bradley's team, she produced news stories such as the Duke Lacrosse Rape case, which took Peabody and Emmy Awards, and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Simon then worked with nearly all the 60 MINUTES correspondents for the next decade and produced stories for Anderson Cooper, Steve Kroft, Scott Pelley, Lesley Stahl, Oprah Winfrey and Bob Simon, her father.

Among the news-making segments produced by Simon were the first major television interview with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Emmy-winning first interview with hero pilot Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, and the investigation that revealed how Lance Armstrong used illegal PEDs to win bicycle races.

Simon also produced two of the five stories 60 MINUTES has broadcast on the Boston Irish Mob, whose leader, James "Whitey" Bulger, was #2 on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List.

She began her career at CBS News as a researcher for 48 HOURS in 1996. Simon rose to associate producer and then producer at the news magazine before joining 60 MINUTES in 2000.

Simon holds a B.A. degree from Columbia University and lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.

60 MINUTES, America's #1 news program, has anchored the CBS Sunday primetime schedule since 1976. The broadcast premiered in 1968 and is in its 51st season; it is the longest-running primetime program in history. 60 MINUTES' investigations, features and profiles have won more Emmy and Peabody Awards than any other news program. 60MinutesOvertime is the broadcast's online companion program, offering behind-the-scenes original content about 60 MINUTES' stories and correspondents.

Follow 60 MINUTES on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.