Laurent Therivel will take over as president and CEO on July 1
Veteran US Cellular CEO Kenneth R. Meyers will soon be retiring, and the carrier announced his successor: Laurent C. Therivel, who previously served as CEO of AT&T Mexico, will be appointed president and CEO of US Cellular as of July 1.
Meyers will serve as “senior advisor to the CEO” during a transition period until his official retirement on September 4 of this year. Therivel, nicknamed “LT,” will also replace Meyers on both the boards of US Cellular and its parent company, Telephone & Data Systems (TDS).
“As a result of an orderly succession planning process and an extensive search, we are very pleased to announce LT’s appointment,” said LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr., who is chairman of US Cellular and president and CEO of TDS. “With his deep experience in the telecommunications industry, LT brings tremendous insight and perspective to this role. During his years at AT&T he had a variety of important assignments leading wireless and wireline operations, strategy and finance. He is highly customer-focused which aligns well with US Cellular’s mission of providing exceptional wireless experiences to our customers. I am confident LT’s leadership, experience and collaborative style will build upon the success that US Cellular has achieved under Ken Meyers’ leadership.”
Carlson praised Meyers for 33 years of “exemplary service” at both US Cellular and TDS.
“Ken has spent over three decades of his career with TDS and US Cellular in a variety of leadership positions including executive vice president and CFO for both companies,” Carlson continued. “Throughout his time as CEO, Ken applied his deep understanding of our industry, as well as his strategic and financial knowledge to further improve US Cellular’s performance and operational efficiency. He led and developed a strong senior management team to execute aggressive, yet economically sound, customer-focused strategies. Ken’s effective leadership and commitment to the company’s culture will leave a lasting effect on US Cellular.”
“I look forward to joining U.S. Cellular, which is in a strong position to continue providing customers with high-quality wireless service,” said Therivel. “More than ever, the essential nature of our solutions has been validated over the past few months during the pandemic. I am excited to work alongside US Cellular’s talented management team and with all of its associates to build on the successes of its customer and community-focused strategies. I am honored to have the opportunity to contribute to US Cellular’s bright future and am intensely focused on working toward long-term growth and sustainability.”
Therivel, 45, comes to US Cellular from AT&T, where he served as CEO of AT&T Mexico. Prior to his time at AT&T, Therivel was COO of IPcelerate, which developed Voice over IP applications. Therivel has an MBA from Harvard Business School and was a double major in business administration and market at the University of Texas A&M; he also served as a communications officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Watch a video statement from Therivel below:
