Schurz Communications, Inc. has announced the appointment of John Schurz as President / General Manager of Orbitel Communications, L.L.C and Western Broadband, LLC effective immediately.
John, a fifth generation member of the Schurz family, joins the Arizona operations after most recently serving as President/General Manager of the Schurz owned WASK radio group in Lafayette, Indiana.
John is a 1995 graduate of Dennison University. In 2011, he earned a Masters in Business Administration from Purdue University.
John and his wife, Rachel, and their three children (Sydney, Mallory and Graham) recently relocated to Arizona.
John takes over this role from Keith Kirkman. Keith joined Orbitel in August 2005. During his tenure, he has led the company through unprecedented growth and expansion including the sale of Orbitel to MCG Capital in 2007, the purchase of Maricopa Broadband in 2011, the sale of Orbitel to Schurz in 2012 and most recently the integration of Orbitel and WBB into a combined business unit for Schurz.
Keith will be leaving Arizona on March 31 relocating to Minnesota to join his family and pursue other professional endeavors.
Brian Lynch, vice president of the SCI Cable Division, traveled to Arizona to visit with Arizona cable companies personnel about this exciting change and about plans for growth in 2013. All staff meetings were conducted on January 10 in Maricopa and on January 11 in Sun Lakes. The meetings provided an opportunity for the staff to formally meet John Schurz and ask any questions.
“As we welcome John,” Lynch said in the announcement, “please join me in thanking Keith for his years of leadership to the Arizona cable operations.”