Samuel Starr, president and CEO of AT&T subsidiary Sterling Commerce, died Sunday at age 47, the company announced Tuesday. Before taking his position as CEO, Starr served as Sterling's chief operating officer and its chief delivery officer. Prior to joining Sterling in 2000, Starr worked at Bank One and the Claremont Technology Group. Starr graduated from Ohio State University.
Columbus, Ohio-based Sterling, which has about 2,000 employees and focuses on business collaboration software and services, said that Starr's death will not affect any of the company's "ongoing acquisition discussions" or daily operations. Starr was admitted to the hospital on Dec. 24 with a "sudden, serious illness," the company said. The details of Starr's hospitalization and death were not disclosed. Starr is survived by his wife and six children. Bob Irwin, the company's senior vice president of global sales, has been named acting president and CEO.
