CDW’s new president will oversee e-commerce

Computer gear direct marketer and online retailer CDW Corp. has a new senior executive in charge of e-commerce.

CDW, No. 8 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to Retail Web Sites, has appointed Thomas Richards as president and chief operating officer as well as the top e-commerce executive.

Richards also will be a member of the executive committee and oversee sales, advanced technology services, marketing and product and partner management. He will report to CEO John Edwardson.

Richards previously worked as the chief operating officer for Qwest Communications and as the executive vice president of Qwest`s business markets group, a $4 billion unit that designs, installs and maintains information service networks for the private sector and the federal government. Richards also worked as president and CEO of Clear Communications Corp., a supplier of optical and digital network management software, and as an executive vice president of Ameritech Corp., where he was responsible for sales, marketing and customer service for seven of Ameritech’s business units.