(Telecompaper) Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead is taking on a new role at the operator, as executive VP and president of strategic initivatives. He will lead the carve out of Verizon's wireline acitivities being sold to Frontier Communications and report to Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam. After completing the job, he plans to retire. John Stratton will take over operational responsibility for wireless as well as the wireline business, as executive VP and president of operations. He was previously head of the consumer wireless and global enterprise business.