Shenandoah Telecommunications Appoints Edward H. 鈥淓d鈥� McKay as President & CEO,聽Christopher E. French Transitions to New Role as Executive Chairman
Shenandoah Telecommunications (NASDAQ:SHEN) announced a significant leadership transition, with Edward H. "Ed" McKay appointed as President and CEO, effective September 1, 2025. Current President and CEO Christopher E. French will transition to the role of Executive Chairman of the Board.
McKay, currently serving as Executive Vice President and COO, brings 29 years of telecommunications industry experience, including management positions at UUNET and Verizon before joining Shentel in 2004. In his COO role since July 2021, he has overseen key operations including sales, marketing, engineering, operations, IT, and customer service.
Shenandoah Telecommunications (NASDAQ:SHEN) ha annunciato un importante cambiamento nella leadership, con la nomina di Edward H. "Ed" McKay a Presidente e CEO, a partire dal 1掳 settembre 2025. L'attuale Presidente e CEO, Christopher E. French, assumer脿 il ruolo di Presidente Esecutivo del Consiglio di Amministrazione.
McKay, attualmente Vicepresidente Esecutivo e COO, vanta 29 anni di esperienza nel settore delle telecomunicazioni, avendo ricoperto ruoli dirigenziali presso UUNET e Verizon prima di entrare in Shentel nel 2004. Nel suo ruolo di COO dal luglio 2021, ha supervisionato le principali operazioni tra cui vendite, marketing, ingegneria, operazioni, IT e servizio clienti.
Shenandoah Telecommunications (NASDAQ:SHEN) anunci贸 una importante transici贸n en su liderazgo, con la designaci贸n de Edward H. "Ed" McKay como Presidente y CEO, efectivo a partir del 1 de septiembre de 2025. El actual Presidente y CEO, Christopher E. French, pasar谩 a desempe帽arse como Presidente Ejecutivo del Consejo.
McKay, quien actualmente es Vicepresidente Ejecutivo y COO, aporta 29 a帽os de experiencia en la industria de telecomunicaciones, incluyendo cargos gerenciales en UUNET y Verizon antes de unirse a Shentel en 2004. En su papel de COO desde julio de 2021, ha supervisado operaciones clave como ventas, marketing, ingenier铆a, operaciones, TI y servicio al cliente.
Shenandoah Telecommunications (NASDAQ:SHEN)鞚� 2025雲� 9鞗� 1鞚茧秬搿� Edward H. "Ed" McKay毳� 靷灔 瓴� CEO搿� 鞛勲獏頃橂┌ 欷戩殧頃� 毽崝鞁� 氤�頇旊ゼ 氚滍憸頄堨姷雼堧嫟. 順勳灛 靷灔 瓴� CEO鞚� Christopher E. French電� 鞚挫偓須� 歆戫枆 鞚橃灔鞙茧 鞛愲Μ毳� 鞓箒雼堧嫟.
順勳灛 靾橃劃 攵�靷灔 瓴� COO搿� 鞛 欷戩澑 McKay電� 韱奠嫚 鞐呹硠鞐愳劀 29雲勳潣 瓴诫牓鞚� 氤挫湢頃橁碃 鞛堨溂氅�, Shentel鞐� 頃╇頃橁赴 鞝� UUNET瓿� Verizon鞐愳劀 甏�毽鞚� 鞐瀯頄堨姷雼堧嫟. 2021雲� 7鞗旊秬韯� COO搿滌劀 鞓侅梾, 毵堨紑韺�, 鞐旍雼堨柎毵�, 鞖挫榿, IT, 瓿犼皾 靹滊箘鞀るゼ 韽暔頃� 欤检殧 鞐呺毳� 齑濌磩頃挫檾鞀惦媹雼�.
Shenandoah Telecommunications (NASDAQ:SHEN) a annonc茅 une transition majeure dans sa direction, avec la nomination de Edward H. "Ed" McKay en tant que Pr茅sident et CEO, 脿 compter du 1er septembre 2025. L'actuel Pr茅sident et CEO, Christopher E. French, assumera le r么le de Pr茅sident ex茅cutif du conseil d'administration.
McKay, actuellement Vice-Pr茅sident ex茅cutif et COO, poss猫de 29 ans d'exp茅rience dans l'industrie des t茅l茅communications, ayant occup茅 des postes de direction chez UUNET et Verizon avant de rejoindre Shentel en 2004. Depuis juillet 2021, en tant que COO, il supervise les op茅rations cl茅s telles que les ventes, le marketing, l'ing茅nierie, les op茅rations, l'informatique et le service client.
Shenandoah Telecommunications (NASDAQ:SHEN) gab eine bedeutende F眉hrungs盲nderung bekannt: Edward H. "Ed" McKay wurde zum Pr盲sidenten und CEO ernannt, wirksam ab dem 1. September 2025. Der derzeitige Pr盲sident und CEO, Christopher E. French, wird in die Rolle des Executive Chairman des Vorstands wechseln.
McKay, der derzeit als Executive Vice President und COO t盲tig ist, bringt 29 Jahre Erfahrung in der Telekommunikationsbranche mit, darunter F眉hrungspositionen bei UUNET und Verizon, bevor er 2004 zu Shentel kam. In seiner Rolle als COO seit Juli 2021 眉berwacht er wichtige Bereiche wie Vertrieb, Marketing, Technik, Betrieb, IT und Kundenservice.
- None.
- None.
Insights
Shentel's leadership transition reflects planned succession with internal promotion, ensuring strategic continuity while positioning for fiber growth execution.
Shentel's appointment of Edward McKay as President and CEO represents a carefully orchestrated leadership transition following a five-year succession planning process. As a 21-year company veteran currently serving as COO, McKay brings deep institutional knowledge and telecommunications expertise (29 years industry experience) to the role. This internal promotion signals strategic continuity rather than a shift in corporate direction.
The transition structure is particularly noteworthy, with current CEO Christopher French remaining actively involved as Executive Chairman. This arrangement creates a balanced leadership model that preserves French's strategic influence while empowering McKay's operational expertise. Such executive continuity typically minimizes disruption risks associated with CEO transitions.
McKay's current oversight of critical functions (sales, marketing, engineering, operations, IT, customer service) positions him ideally to execute Shentel's fiber growth strategy without a learning curve. His prior management experience at UUNET and Verizon adds valuable perspective from larger telecommunications organizations.
The September 1 implementation date and unanimous board support indicate a well-coordinated transition with minimal execution risk. McKay's emphasis on continuing the existing fiber growth plans in his statement confirms strategic alignment between incoming and outgoing leadership. For stakeholders, this transition represents evolutionary rather than revolutionary change, with the company explicitly structured to maintain "uninterrupted focus on the execution of our strategic plan."
EDINBURG, Va., July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (鈥淪hentel鈥� or the 鈥淐ompany鈥�) (Nasdaq: SHEN) announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Edward H. 鈥淓d鈥� McKay as President and Chief Executive Officer (鈥淐EO鈥�). Christopher E. French, Shentel鈥檚 current President and CEO, will step into the role of Executive Chairman of the Board and remain active in steering the Company鈥檚 strategy while continuing to work closely with the senior leadership team and the Board of Directors. The transition date for both executives is expected to be September 1, 2025.
Mr. McKay is currently the Company鈥檚 Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (鈥淐OO鈥�), a role he has held since July 2021. As COO, he oversees sales, marketing, engineering, operations, information technology, and customer service for the entire organization. A 29-year veteran of the telecommunications industry, Mr. McKay joined Shentel in 2004 after having served in management positions at UUNET and Verizon.
鈥淚 am pleased our Board of Directors has unanimously supported Ed to be the next President and CEO of Shentel,鈥� said Mr. French. 鈥淎s our succession planning process developed over the last five years, it became increasingly clear that Ed is the right person to lead Shentel forward. He has the experience and perspective needed to manage our accelerating growth and continue the Company鈥檚 long history of innovation and success. These changes will ensure continuity of leadership and strategic direction for our Company and allow our uninterrupted focus on the execution of our strategic plan.鈥�
鈥淚 am grateful to the Board of Directors for the opportunity to lead Shentel at this pivotal time and to be able to build on the strong platform for growth we have collectively established under the leadership of Chris and the Board,鈥� said Mr. McKay. 鈥淚 look forward to continuing my close working relationship with Chris as Executive Chairman and collaborating with the Board. I am excited to continue partnering with the Shentel management team and our dedicated employees to execute on our fiber growth plans and deliver value for our customers and shareholders.鈥�
About Shenandoah Telecommunications
Shenandoah Telecommunications Company provides broadband services through its high speed, state-of-the-art fiber optic and cable networks to residential and commercial customers in eight contiguous states in the eastern United States. The Company鈥檚 services include: broadband internet, video, voice, high-speed Ethernet, dark fiber leasing, and managed network services. The Company owns an extensive regional network with over 17,700 route miles of fiber. For more information, please visit .
CONTACT:
聽 聽 聽 聽Shenandoah Telecommunications Company
聽 聽 聽 聽Heather K. Tormey
聽 聽 聽 聽Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer
聽 聽 聽 聽540-984-5203
聽 聽 聽 聽[email protected]
FAQ
Who is the new CEO of Shenandoah Telecommunications (SHEN)?
What is Chris French's new role at Shenandoah Telecommunications (SHEN)?
What is Ed McKay's background and experience at SHEN?
When will the SHEN leadership transition take effect?
What are Ed McKay's responsibilities as current COO of SHEN?
