MetroPCS positions CEO replacement

MetroPCS Communications Inc. named a successor to current chairman and CEO Roger Linquist. The carrier said Linquist is expected to cut back on his schedule due to health reasons, and may make a decision on retirement by the end of the year.
The flat-rate carrier named Thomas Keys, its senior VP of market operations, to the new position of president and COO. MetroPCS’ CFO and general counsel and secretary will continue to report to Linquist, but all other executive officers who reported to Linquist will now report to Keys, the carrier said.
The company added that Linquist “expects to be in a position by the end of the year to clarify his retirement plans.”
Keys will “bring additional focus on MetroPCS’ day-to-day operations and to the future growth of the company resulting from its recent acquisition of spectrum in Auction 66, which will allow me to focus more on MetroPCS’ overall strategy,” Linquist said in a company statement.
Keys previously served MetroPCS as VP and general manager of its Dallas market. Prior to that, he served as president and COO of Dallas-based wholesale wireless products distributor VCP International Inc.