CenturyLink, Inc. announced that upon closing of the CenturyLink – Level 3 acquisition, Jeff Storey, currently president and CEO of Level 3 Communications, Inc., will join the company as its president and chief operating officer. As previously announced, after the closing Glen F. Post III will remain CEO of CenturyLink. It is expected that Storey will succeed Post as CEO of CenturyLink effective Jan.

1, 2019 and that Post will then become executive chairman of the company's board of directors. The two companies continue to expect to close the transaction by Sept. 30, 2017.

In addition to Storey, Post's direct reports following the closing of the acquisition will be: Stacey Goff, executive vice president, general counsel and chief administrative officer; Sunit Patel, executive vice president, chief financial officer; Scott Trezise, executive vice president, human resources. The company also announced that Harvey P. Perry, vice chairman of the board of the company, has been appointed chairman of the board, effective immediately. He replaces William A. Owens, who retired from the board on May 24, 2017.

W. Bruce Hanks, a member of the company's board of directors, has been named vice chairman, also effective immediately. As previously announced, Storey is one of four Level 3 board members who will join the company's board at closing.