Lumos, a High Point fiber broadband company owned by T-Mobile, said CEO Brian Stading will retire at the end of the first quarter. The company’s board is undertaking a CEO search “for the company’s next phase and continued growth,” spokesman Casey Angel said.
As part of the transition, David Smith was promoted to chief operating officer and Josh Mayn is now chief network officer, overseeing engineering planning, construction and field operations. Smith has worked for the company for 13 years.
“Lumos’s strategy, operations, and growth plans remain unchanged,” Angel said. “We have a strong and experienced leadership team and remain focused on delivering reliable, quality broadband service and continuing to invest and expand fiber access to meet growing connectivity needs.”
Bellevue, Washington-based T-Mobile joined with Swedish private-equity firm EQT to buy Lumos for $2 billion in 2024. EQT had acquired the former North State Telephone in High Point in 2020 and merged it with Waynesboro, Virginia-based Lumos.
Stading joined Lumos in 2022 and led a rapid expansion of broadband access, overseeing nearly 700,000 home passings. He previously was chief operating officer of Ziply Fiber in Washington state. While Lumos operated in two states in 2022, it now has operations in 10, including Illinois, where it launched service last fall.
“It has been my privilege to be part of this journey and I’m proud of what this team has accomplished together,” Stading said. “I look forward to watching the company continue to grow, innovate, and deliver for customers and communities for years to come.”
Stading has said the company’s goal was to provide internet service to 2 million people by 2026.
David Mildenberg is editor of Business North Carolina. Reach him at dmildenberg@businessnc.com.