Clark E. McLeod is founder of McLeodUSA, one of the nation’s largest independent competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) during the years preceding its acquisition in 2008. He was also President and Vice-Chairman of Telecom*USA, a company formed out of the merger of SoutherNet and Teleconnect, a company he founded and led. Telecom*USA was America's fourth largest long-distance telecommunications company, with nearly 6,000 employees. MCI purchased Telecom*USA in 1990 for $1.25 billion.