---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001051512-25-000005"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "TDS"
cik: "0001051512"
company_name: "TELEPHONE & DATA SYSTEMS INC /DE/"
filed_at: "2025-01-27T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-27T08:57:33.887227+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# TDS appoints Walter Carlson as CEO; predecessor Ted Carlson becomes Vice Chair effective Feb 1

## Summary
- Walter C. D. Carlson appointed TDS President & CEO effective Feb 1, 2025; was Board Chair since 2002.
- LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr. becomes Vice Chair focusing on enterprise strategy; remains UScellular Board Chair.
- Christopher D. O'Leary appointed Lead Independent Director of TDS Board.
- Walter Carlson compensation: $850k base, 115% bonus target, $3M LTIP; Ted Carlson: $700k base, 80% bonus, $1.25M LTIP.
- Bylaws amended to allow Board Chair to be a non-officer/employee.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001051512-25-000005
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: TDS
- cik: 0001051512
- company_name: TELEPHONE & DATA SYSTEMS INC /DE/
- filed_at: 2025-01-27T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 5.03, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1051512/000105151225000005/0001051512-25-000005-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1051512/000105151225000005/tds-20250124.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001051512-25-000005
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001051512-25-000005.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001051512-25-000005.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr. changed role as Vice Chair at TELEPHONE & DATA SYSTEMS INC /DE/.
  - Action: will assume
  - Role: Vice Chair
  source text: LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr. will assume a newly created Vice Chair position.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1051512/000105151225000005/0001051512-25-000005-index.htm
- Executive change
  Walter C. D. Carlson was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at TELEPHONE & DATA SYSTEMS INC /DE/.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: appointed Walter C. D. Carlson as President and Chief Executive Officer of TDS effective February 1, 2025.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1051512/000105151225000005/0001051512-25-000005-index.htm
- Governance Changes
  TELEPHONE & DATA SYSTEMS INC /DE/: Amended Section 2.19 of the Bylaws to allow the Chair of the Board to not be an officer or employee (effective 2025-01-24).
  - Change: bylaw amendment
  - Effective: 2025-01-24
  source text: On January 24, 2025, the Board of Directors of TDS adopted an amendment (the “Amendment”) to the Bylaws of TDS, as amended and restated as of December 13, 2024, which became effective immediately. The Amendment to Section 2.19 provides that the Chair of the Board of Directors may, but need not be, an officer or employee of the company.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1051512/000105151225000005/0001051512-25-000005-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.