Kevin Hess Retiring From TDS Telecom

Kevin Hess, executive VP of government and regulatory affairs for American Cable Association member TDS Telecom, is retiring at the end of this year after more than 30 years with the company.

VP of external affairs Drew Petersen, who is a member of the ACA board, will succeed Hess following a "several month" transition period.

Madison, Wis.-based TDS, a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, serves 1.2 million connections with high-speed internet, phone, and TV in just south of 900 communities, according to the company.

“His presence will be missed within our organization," said TDS CEO Dave Wittwer of Hess, "however, he has done what every great leader should do—prepare for a solid succession. I’m confident his team is positioned for long-term success." 

Peterson joined TDS in 1997 and has had his current post since 2010.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.