Robert Keane

Bob has over 38 years’ experience in the communications industry, beginning his career in 1981. He has held numerous positions over the years with increasing responsibilities and management oversight. He spent eighteen years within various AT&T entities holding a diverse set of assignments that covered sales, marketing, product management and access management. Bob began his career in the technology manufacturing arm of AT&T Western Electric which became Lucent Technologies. Transitioning to the core Network Services Division, becoming VP-AT&T Local Services, Bob had overall responsibility for AT&T’s local market entry in support of business, consumer and Internet business units including the integration of Teleport Communications Group (TCG) into AT&T.

In 1999, Bob joined Comcast Cable, recruited to develop Comcast business market entry and formed Comcast Business Communications the following year as a separate subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. As President and CEO, Bob had financial and operating responsibility for the development of a 100% owned and operated subsidiary aimed at providing fiber based services to small and medium businesses within Comcast markets.

Later in 2001, Bob joined Private Equity backed Cavalier Telephone as their President and Chief Operation Officer overseeing the day to day operations of a regional CLEC operating in five states and an inter-city long haul optical network covering 15 states (Intellifiber). Bob developed the market segmentation strategy and technology plan that grew Cavalier’s revenue from mid-$100M range to over $350M. Bob also oversaw the acquisition and integration of three companies, including Dominion Telecom within a 4 year period and launched the first CLEC implementation of IPTV.

In late 2010, Bob took over the role of CEO of Spirit Telecom and PalmetoNet and oversaw the integration of the companies forming what became Spirit Communications. After a successful run, Spirit was acquired by EQT Partners and was joined with Lumos networks to form Segra. Bob navigated the Spirit growth plan and the follow-on integration of Spirit and Lumos. Bob continues to support the company and EQT as a board member and Industrial Advisor. Recent efforts as an Industrial Advisor have resulted in a very large take-private strategy of Zayo. Mr. Keane is a graduate of New Jersey Institute of Technology with a BSEE and Masters of Science in Management.