TDS Names Ken Dixon President and CEO of TDS Telecom
Jim Butman Retires after 40 Years of Service
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE: TDS) announced today that Ken Dixon will be appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of TDS Telecommunications LLC (TDS Telecom), a wholly owned subsidiary of TDS, effective June 9. Dixon succeeds Jim Butman who will retire and step down on July 1 after more than 40 years of service to TDS, including the last 7 years as the leader of TDS Telecom. Dixon will also serve on the TDS Board of Directors.
Dixon brings 33 years of telecommunications experience to TDS Telecom, spending most of his career in positions with increasing responsibility at Verizon Communications, Inc. Dixon's final position at Verizon was as President of Consumer Markets, where he oversaw its $13 billion consumer business and executed its fiber network transformation strategy. More recently, Dixon was CEO of Tillman FiberCo, LLC, a company that designs, builds and owns fiber optic broadband infrastructure.
"After a thorough search, we found the right leader to succeed Jim Butman at TDS Telecom," said TDS President and CEO Walter Carlson. "TDS Telecom is undergoing a transformation; Ken's deep knowledge and experience in sales, marketing, operations, and delighting customers, together with his background in fiber broadband expansion, position him to lead our strategic growth plans."
"I am honored to lead TDS Telecom and work with its talented team," said Dixon. "I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the company's mission of creating a better world, which includes helping to bridge the country's digital divide by bringing fiber technology to the hardest to reach rural areas."
"I would like to thank Jim for his four decades of service to TDS," said Carlson. "Thanks to Jim's strong leadership, TDS Telecom embarked on its long-term fiber strategy, and in the process, surpassed $1 billion in revenues and 500,000 broadband subscribers."
Dixon holds a Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University and served on the Dean's Advisory Board of Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences.
About TDS
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) provides wireless, broadband, video and voice to approximately 5.5 million connections nationwide through its businesses, UScellular and TDS Telecom. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, TDS employed approximately 7,800 associates as of March 31, 2025.
Visit investors.tdsinc.com for comprehensive financial information, including earnings releases, quarterly and annual filings, shareholder information and more.
