Qwest Communications has named Edward Mueller its new chief executive officer, replacing Richard Notebaert, who retires on Wednesday.

Mueller, 60, was CEO of Ameritech (now AT&T) from 2000 to 2002. That role capped off a 34-year Bell company career that began when he joined SBC in 1968, eventually becoming CEO of Southwestern Bell and, in 1997, CEO of Pacific Bell. From 1999 to 2000 he was president of SBC International Operations. Between 2003 and 2006, he was CEO of home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma, which also owns Pottery Barn.

Mueller, whose name is pronounced “Miller,” has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri and an executive master's degree in business administration from Washington University.

He sits on the board of Clorox, VeriSign and GSC Acquisition, a small firm formed last year in New Jersey that focuses on acquiring distressed companies.