Shentel realigns top management following nTelos acquisition

Shentel has made some changes to its top management team, promoting three executives to new positions following its recent purchase of nTelos.

The service provider has named William L. Pirtle to senior vice president of marketing and sales, Thomas A. Whitaker to senior vice president of operations, and Edward H. McKay to senior vice president of engineering and network planning.

Each of these executives will continue to report to Shentel's COO Earle MacKenzie.

Christopher French, CEO of Shentel said in a release that the promotions of these executives "align our structure around functional expertise as we prepare to add the nTelos operations and upgrade their networks."

These executives are long-term company veterans. Pirtle came to Shentel in 1992 as vice president of network services where he oversaw the company's technology decisions, and maintenance and operation of its traditional wireline, cable, and wireless networks.

McKay, who joined the company in 2004, oversees network planning and engineering. Before his new position, he served as Shentel's VP of cable where he managed the company's ongoing operations and maintenance and supports the network pperations center and data operations groups.

Shentel's acquisition of nTelos is transformational in that it will not only enhance its wireless network footprint, but also improving its fiber and cable holdings. 

Driven by new fiber contracts from wireless backhaul, Shentel has continued to ramp its carrier access and fiber revenues across both its traditional wireline and cable segments from $9.6 million in the first quarter to $10.2 million in the second quarter of 2015.

To date, Shentel has built fiber to 199 cell sites  -- including 157 of its own sites and 42 others, with agreements to build out to an additional 31 sites.

For more:
- see the release

Related articles:
Shentel's $640M purchase of nTelos to boost company's fiber, cable business
Sprint affiliate Shentel buys fellow wholesale partner nTelos for $640M
Shentel's cable segment helps drive up Q2 2015 total fiber sales to $10.2M
NTelos CEO mum on rumors of merger with Shentel, but says board is looking at strategic opportunities