CenturyLink, Inc. has named five regional sales vice presidents in its Business Solutions organization to lead teams serving business, government and education customers while leveraging the company's local operating model. The new sales vice presidents will manage business sales in CenturyLink's Northwest, Southwest, Central, Midwest, and East regions, consistent with the structure of its local operating model. The new regional sales vice presidents are: Rob Roache, Northwest region, based in Seattle, Betty Reynolds, Southwest region, based in Phoenix, Mindy Powers, Central region, based in Denver, Rick Buyens, Midwest region, based in Minneapolis and Richard Twilley, East region, based in Charlotte.

CenturyLink, Inc. announced that it plans to lay off 51 employees in Hood River and close its call center there this summer. CenturyLink said it will retain its construction and engineering operations in Hood River, employing 40 to 50 people. The facility has a long history in the Columbia River Gorge and had survived a number of corporate transitions.

CenturyLink, Inc. announced unaudited consolidated earnings results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013. For the quarter, the company reported operating revenues of $4,513 million against $4,610 million a year ago. This decrease was driven by lower legacy services revenues primarily due to the impact of access line losses and lower access revenues, partially offset by increases in strategic revenues resulting primarily from business customer demand for high-bandwidth data services, colocation and managed hosting services and growth in high-speed Internet and CenturyLink Prism TV subscribers. Operating income was $782 million against $654 million a year ago. Net income was $298 million or $0.48 basic and diluted per share against $200 million or $0.32 diluted per share a year ago. On adjusted excluding special items (non-GAAP) basis, operating Revenue was $4,513 million against $4,610 million a year ago. Operating income was $816 million against $736 million a year ago. Net income was $303 million or $0.49 basic and diluted per share against $243 million or $0.39 diluted per share a year ago. Net cash provided by operating activities was $1,397 million against $1,583 million a year ago. Payments for property, plant and equipment and capitalized software was $663 million against $678 million a year ago. Non-GAAP free cash flow was $1,006 million against $1,038 million a year ago. Non-GAAP operating cash flow was $1,933 million against $1,944 million a year ago. Non-GAAP capital expenditures were $656 million against $668 million a year ago. The company also provided earnings guidance for the second quarter of 2013. For the quarter, the company expects operating revenues to be in the range of $4.49 billion to $4.54 billion. Operating cash flow (exc.special items) to be in the range of $1.82 billion to $1.86 billion. Adjusted diluted EPS (exc.special items) to be in the range of $0.63 to $0.68. The company increased earnings guidance for the full year 2013. For the year, the company now expects adjusted diluted EPS (exc.special items) to be in the range of $2.60 to $2.75 against previous guidance of $2.50 to $2.70. Operating cash flow (exc.special items) to be in the range of $7.35 billion to $7.55 billion against previous guidance of $7.3 billion to $7.5 billion. The company also announced that there is no revision of guidance for capital expenditures and operating revenues.