Nick Matesi, who was news director at KKTV in Colorado Springs from 2003-2008, is returning to the station as vice president and general manager of the Colorado Springs CBS affiliate next month.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that Matesi, who is currently VP-GM of KOLO in Reno, will replace Tim Merritt at KKTV. “I have such mixed emotions about this transfer and will miss all the wonderful people in Colorado Springs,” Merritt told The Gazette. “Yet I’m so happy to get my family closer to the family we have on the East Coast … in the end, that’s what it’s all about.” Merritt will also return to a former place of employment — WHSV in Harrisonburg, VA.

Matesi said the Colorado Springs market is even more competitive than it was when he left. “The station is doing a lot of things right and we’ll see how we can take things to the next level,” he said.