Cable company Mediacom has appointed Giuseppe Commisso, son of the late Rocco Commisso, as its new CEO.

The company announced the appointment late last week after Mediacom's board of directors voted in favor of the move.

Commisso has been at Mediacom for almost two decades, most recently serving as group vice president, corporate finance, and as a member of the board of directors.

In the announcement, Mediacom notes that the decision to appoint Commisso to the role of CEO was made shortly before his father's death. Rocco Commisso passed away on January 16 following a "prolonged period of medical treatment."

“My father, Rocco, was an incredible visionary and helped shape the cable industry over a career that spanned almost 50 years,” said Giuseppe B. Commisso. “I am honored to have the trust and support of the Board, and look forward to working with Mediacom Communications’ incredibly talented management team to continue to provide great service to our customers and navigate our ever-evolving industry. My father laid the groundwork for a bright future at Mediacom Communications, and I intend to execute on his vision with integrity and dedication.”

Rocco Commisso founded Mediacom in 1995, with the company initially acquiring cable systems in underserved, smaller American communities.

He took Mediacom public in 2000, overseeing the company's emergence as the fifth largest cable television provider in the US, while offering data, video, phone, and mobile services to more than three million households and businesses in 22 states.

Commisso then took the company private in 2011, with Mediacom now wholly owned by the Commisso family.