Charter names former Cablevision COO Rutledge as CEO

Four days after announcing his resignation from Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), Tom Rutledge was named president and CEO of Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR).

Some Wall Street analysts had speculated last week that the abrupt departure of Rutledge from Cablevision was tied to the open CEO position at Charter. The St. Louis-based cable MSO has been looking for a new chief since CEO Mike Lovett announced in October that he was stepping down.

Charter said Monday that Rutedge was joining the company immediately, but that his new job as president and CEO would be effective on Feb. 13. "Tom is a highly accomplished executive with a long track record of success. He has the rare combination of operational expertise and strategic vision to lead Charter through its promising next phase of growth," Charter Chairman Eric Zinterhofer said in a prepared statement.

Rutledge was president of Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) before joining Cablevision in 2004. He began working in the cable industry in 1977 at Time Warner Cable predecessor American Television and Communications.

For more:
- see the Charter release:

Related articles:
Cablevision stock slides on Rutledge resignation
Charter Communications CEO Lovett to resign