Verizon Wireless CEO Stepping Down

**Editor’s Note: Which is America’s top wireless network? Click here to see what we discovered.**

Partners might be wondering if there will be any trickle-down effect after Tuesday’s announcement that Dan Mead will retire from his post as Verizon Wireless CEO.

Mead will remain with the company in a new role – executive vice president of strategic initiatives – but only until the sale of Verizon’s wireline operations in three states to Frontier Communications is complete. That’s expected to wrap early next year. He’ll be replaced by John Stratton, a Verizon veteran, who now is tasked with overseeing wireless and wireline operations for the carrier.

Mead will not be replaced. His position became less essential when Verizon bought the half of Verizon Wireless that it didn’t own from Vodafone a year ago. He was named VzW CEO in 2010, replacing Lowell McAdam, who became CEO of Verizon Communications.

Tuesday’s news came in an SEC filing.

Executives at some of the major carriers have been playing hot potato over the past year or two. Marcelo Claure stepped in to take the reins from Dan Hesse as CEO of Sprint last year. At about the same time, AT&T promoted Glenn Lurie to run its mobility business.

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