Atlanta , Georgia ( CNN ) -- Jon Petrovich greenlighted funding for CNN.com in 1994 and became known as its `` Godfather , '' a title he relished as the site became the most-read news site in the world . Petrovich , a former CNN executive , died Thursday in New York after a battle with cancer and diabetes . He would have turned 64 at the end of this month . `` Jon was a big presence at our company and in the media industry , '' Jim Walton , president of CNN Worldwide , said in an e-mail sent to CNN staff . `` He was a builder , an innovator and a journalist , first and last . '' Petrovich was known for his impeccable tailored suits , his optimistic outlook on life and solid news judgment . He hobnobbed with the likes of Ted Turner . He just as easily struck up conversations with interns , entry-level staffers and the rank-and-file . `` He was just a good boss . He did n't interfere when you wanted to do something that had n't been tried before , '' said Al Schrack , a Headline News producer in the late 1980s and who remains a producer at HLN . `` He had confidence in his team enough to allow the producers in the newsroom to be creative and come up with innovative shows . He was always open to new ideas . '' Scott Woelfel , the original editor-in-chief of CNN Interactive , said he was in need of funding for the online division after a business plan was drawn up in 1994 . At the time , CNN.com had yet to launch . `` We did n't think we could set it up as an independent division of CNN then , '' Woelfel said in an e-mail message . `` So we went to Jon to see if we could get it funded under Headline News . `` Even though this clearly was not an area he was familiar with , he had confidence in us and took on the big responsibility of being financially responsible for us in the early years . Who would have thought an 'old news ' guy like him would have stepped up like that ? We all owe him a lot . '' It was Woelfel who gave Petrovich his nickname . `` I have called him the Godfather many times , and he always liked that . '' Petrovich was brought in by Turner in the mid-1980s to run Headline News , said former CNN President Tom Johnson . Along the way , he helped create niche channels like the Airport Network and CNN en Español . `` In so many ways , Jon Petrovich was the chief innovation executive at CNN , '' Johnson said . `` With a terrific staff , he helped to create so many of the new services of the news group . CNN.com was only one of his historic innovations . '' He spent 15 years at CNN , where he became an executive vice president . Before joining the network , he worked his way through the ranks of local stations . He was a reporter in Louisville , Kentucky , earned his stripes on an assignment desk in Detroit and got his taste of news directing in Baltimore . After leaving CNN in 2000 , he continued to excel . He oversaw international networks for Sony Television and became the head of U.S. broadcast operations for The Associated Press in 2007 . He also was a professor for the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University . A man of humble roots in Gary , Indiana , Petrovich loved food and fine dining . Most of all , he was a family man known to boast about his two children around his colleagues -- and more recently , dote on his grandchildren . He leaves behind his wife , Karen , who was his high school sweetheart ; and two grown children , Kristin and Jonathan . `` He once told me , 'If I die tomorrow , I 'm OK with that . I 've been blessed . I 've seen the world and have a great family , ' `` his nephew Ron Petrovich said in an online message . CNN 's Walton added , `` Jon helped lay CNN 's foundation and he leaves a great many friends here . Our thoughts are of him and with his family . ''
Former CNN executive who greenlighted stories for CNN.com has said . Jon Petrovich was 63 ; he had battled cancer and diabetes . He encouraged colleagues to explore new ideas and was respected among rank - and - file . ` ` He was a builder , an innovator and a journalist ''