Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. promoted John Solomon to Chief Operating Officer of Circa, the company’s mobile-friendly, video-driven news and entertainment brand launched in July. Solomon will report to Scott Livingston, vice president of news for Sinclair. Previously Chief Creative Officer, Solomon joined Sinclair in 2015 after serving as editor and VP for content and business development at The Washington Times. His other roles included executive editor for the Center for Public Integrity and director of news for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He worked for two decades at the AP wire service as a reporter, news editor, multimedia investigative editor and Assistant Washington Bureau Chief until joining the Washington Post in 2007 as its national investigative reporter.

Jellyfish, the global digital marketing agency with its U.S. headquarters at the Inner Harbor, announced the hiring of Shawn Smith as U.S. Director of Social Media. In this role, Smith will oversee the Jellyfish social media team, build upon the agency’s capabilities and craft data-driven campaigns for clients. His hiring marks the 51st hire for Jellyfish in 2016. Smith joined Jellyfish from AB&A Advertising in Miami where he was a digital media director.

Bonnie Heneson Communications (BHC), a full-service marketing communications agency with offices in Owings Mills and Columbia, hired Alex Duncan as a social media account executive. Duncan specializes in social media community management and works with BHC’s clients to develop and execute social media and online marketing strategies, campaigns and programs. Prior to joining BHC, Duncan was a marketing coordinator and copywriter for SocialToaster, a technology startup in Baltimore.

Abel Communications in Hampden announced the hiring of Ashley Butler as Director of Digital and Social Media. Ashley joined Abel from Chobani U.S. headquarters in New York, where she spent the last five years leading social media strategy and brand communications for the international Greek Yoghurt brand.