Mr. Richards, who joined Qwest in 2005 as executive vice president of the Business Markets Group, has more than 30 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Before coming to Qwest, he was chairman, CEO and president of Clear Communications from 1999 to 2003. At Ameritech, where he worked from 1995 to 1999, Mr. Richards served as executive vice president of communications and information products and as president of network services. He served in key executive and management roles at Bell Atlantic from 1983 to 1995 and began his telecommunications career at Bell of Pennsylvania in 1976. Mr. Richards earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of Pittsburgh and a master of science degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management, where he was an Alfred P. Sloan fellow. He has served on several boards including the National Alliance of Business and Tele Danmark (TDK). Mr. Richards and his wife, Mary Beth, live in Denver and are the parents of two adult children.