AT&T turf vendor Velocitel has named a new CEO effective immediately. Former CEO James Estes, who will continue with Velocitel as chairman of the board, told employees late last week that Kevin Hostetler will take on the CEO role and will be charged with growing the company organically and through acquisitions.
Velocitel has already acquired several other wireless infrastructure providers, including Doty Moore Tower Services. Hostetler has a track record of growing businesses through acquisitions. Most recently, he has been working as an adviser to private equity firms. Before that, Hostetler worked for several fluid control and construction companies, including Ingersoll Rand.
Velocitel is a $200 million infrastructure services provider headquartered in Northbrook, Ill. The company tries to position itself between the giant construction firms like Bechtel and Black & Veatch and the smaller local construction firms that still perform a lot of tower work. Velocitel has worked for all the major U.S. carriers and has also done Wi-Fi installations for cable operators. Wi-Fi, DAS and small cells are growth areas for Velocitel.
The acquisition of Doty Moore put Velocitel into a potential leadership position in the move to standardize safety protocols for tower climbers. Doty Moore’s founders, Don Doty and Patrick Moore, helped establish many of the industry’s current safety protocols. Doty and Moore are vice presidents at Velocitel.
As an AT&T contractor, Velocitel has felt the repercussions of the carrier’s spending slowdown and was forced to cut its headcount this summer. Now, despite AT&T’s projection of lower capital expenditures next year, Velocitel appears to be back in growth mode.
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