Timothy Blitz has been appointed as Lumos Networks' (Nasdaq: LMOS) new chief executive officer, replacing James Hyde who served as the ILEC's interim CEO following its spinoff from the NTELOS Holdings Corp. in October 2011, the company announced.
Hyde will continue to serve as a member of Lumos' board of directors.
Blitz comes to Lumos with over 20 years of telecom experience. Previously, he held positions at iPCS, SpectraSite and Vanguard Cellular Systems. From late 2006 through 2009, Blitz was the chairman of iPCS' board, and from 1999 to 2005, he served as the chief operating officer of SpectraSite, a wireless and broadcast signal tower company. Earlier, he served as the COO and EVP of Vanguard Cellular Systems.
Additionally, Lumos announced its president, Michael Moneymaker, will retire and leave the company board.
Blitz comes to Lumos at a time when the service provider continues its journey as a separate company focused on growing its data services, including fiber-based Metro Ethernet and IP-based voice services. Blitz's wireless experience, undoubtedly, will come in handy as the service provider expands its own Fiber to the Tower (FTTT) footprint to target new wholesale wireless backhaul opportunities.
Lumos, based in Waynesboro, Va., will announce its first-quarter 2012 earnings May 4.
For more:
- see the release
Special report: The 15 highest-paid CEOs in wireline
Related articles:
Wireline in the first quarter of 2012
Lumos Networks sees data revenues climb to $8.9M in Q4 2011
Stepping to the EoC plate: Incumbent telcos take a swing
NTELOS completes spinoff of its wireline business Lumos Networks