Cablevision Systems expanded its board of directors from 17 members to 18 on Tuesday, naming RCN chairman and long-time cable executive Steve Simmons to the panel.

Simmons has a long history in the cable business – he created Simmons Communications in 1982 and sold it in the late 1990s. In 2002 he partnered with private equity firm Spectrum Equity to buy former RCN properties in New Jersey,  renaming the company Patriot Media. Simmons headed up Patriot until 2007, when he sold the company to Comcast.  Simmons became chairman of RCN after the company was taken private by ABRY Partners in 2010. He also serves as Chairman of RCN Telecom Services, LLC, Grande Communications, and PPR Media, LLC/Choice Communications. Mr. Simmons was a director of Virgin Media Inc. from 2008 to 2013. He also served as the Chairman of the Connecticut Commission of Educational Achievement and now chairs the Connecticut Counsel for Education Reform.