Burger leaves SureWest; CEO search to go into ’06

SureWest Communications said today that Robert Burger, Senior Vice President and COO of the company's wireless affiliate SureWest Wireless, will be leaving his position effective tomorrow. Burger, who joined the company in 1998 to launch the wireless business, is relocating to Washington state to pursue opportunities there.

Separately, the company said its search for a successor for CEO and President Brian Strom will likely not be concluded until 2006.

Since launching the wireless group, Burger has overseen the build out of operations in the Sacramento and contiguous markets, where SureWest Wireless counts more than 50,000 customers, Annual revenues for the group are around $35 million. In the last reported quarter, Q2, the wireless segment reported a revenue jump of 12%, to $8.5 million due in part to an increase in income form features such as voicemail and text and picture messaging.

Burger’s departure also comes just a few months after the company reorganized much of its operational departments to combine units. The move resulted in the integration of several job across operational lines including wireless.

“As our emerging businesses have begun to mature, the company recently took advantage of the opportunity to unify many of our internal support operations,” Strom, said in a prepared statement. "After seeing this process through, Bob believed it was a perfect time to seek out new challenges. Bob deserves our gratitude, and we wish him the best."

On the CEO search, Kirk Doyle, Chairman of SureWest's Board, said the company has met with several potential candidates, but that as the company moves deeper in the fiscal year, it may not complete the process until sometime in the next quarter.

Strom, who also served as a recent chairman of the U.S. Telecommunications Association, has agreed to remain in his position until a successor is found.