Cincinnati Bell names future CEO

Cincinnati Bell Inc. said last week that its board of directors has elected Chief Operating Officer Richard G. Ellenberger to the board and selected him to succeed John T. LaMacchia as president and CEO when LaMacchia retires early next year.

Ellenberger, 46, is president and CEO of Cincinnati Bell Telephone Co., the holding company's largest subsidiary. He joined Cincinnati Bell Telephone as president and CEO on June 1, 1997, and was elected chief operating officer of Cincinnati Bell Inc. on Sept. 1.

LaMacchia, 57, who announced his intention to retire early this year and will remain on the Cincinnati Bell board, joined the company in 1983 from AT&T. During that time, he served as CEO for five years and president for 11 years. He also has been on the board of directors for 13 years

Previously, Ellenberger spent 17 years at MCI in a series of posts, including head of the $8 billion business services division.

His election to the board comes just six weeks before the group will split into two units. One group of eight directors, including Ellenberger and LaMacchia, will continue as the board of Cincinnati Bell. A separate group of seven will serve as the board of Convergys (formerly Cincinnati Bell Information Systems), which is being spun off Dec. 31.