OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint Corp. named Daniel Hesse chief executive officer of its Local Telecommunications Division, which the company said it plans to spin off following its pending acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc.
Hesse served as president and CEO of AT&T Wireless Services Inc. from 1997 until 2000 where he headed the launch of the carrier’s revolutionary Digital One Rate service. Hesse also was named RCR Wireless News’ Person of the Year for 1998.
Hesse most recently served as chairman, president and CEO of Terabeam Corp., which provided wireless broadband systems using high-frequency millimeter waves and free-space optics technologies. Terabeam was acquired last year by YDI Wireless Inc.
“Dan is an exceptional industry leader and brings extraordinary talent, depth and experience to our local business operations,” said Sprint Chairman and CEO Gary Forsee. “He is a career telecom executive and has a keen understanding of the wireline and wireless industries and of the Internet. He is the leader Sprint will need as it plans to spin off its local operations in 2006.”
