CDW Corp. has announced that Thomas E. Richards will join the company as president and COO.

Richards comes to CDW from his role as COO for Qwest Communications, a $13.5 billion telecommunications company based in Denver. At CDW, Richards will be a member of the company’s executive committee and oversee sales, advanced technology services, marketing, product and partner management, and e-commerce. Richards will join CDW on Sept. 21, and he will report to John A. Edwardson, CDW’s chairman and CEO.

“I am excited to welcome Tom Richards to CDW. He has a proven track record of driving profitable sales as well as broad experience in marketing and advanced technology,” Edwardson said. “His leadership style is a perfect fit for our coworker-centric culture. I am confident Tom will play an important role in helping us achieve our goals now and in the future.”

“CDW is the best in its industry, and I am looking forward to becoming part of this terrific team,” Richards said. “Over the years, CDW has become known for industry leadership, innovation and success, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute to this ongoing legacy of excellence.”

Prior to serving as Qwest’s COO, Richards served as executive vice president of the company’s Business Markets Group, a $4 billion unit that designs, installs and maintains information service networks and solutions for small, medium and large companies and the federal government. Before joining Qwest, Richards was chairman, president and chief executive officer of Clear Communications Corp., a supplier of optical and digital network management software. He also served as executive vice president of Ameritech Corp., where he was responsible for sales, marketing and customer service for seven of Ameritech’s business units. In addition, Richards has held several senior sales and marketing roles with Bell Atlantic. Tom holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.S. in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.