Garry Betty, the president and CEO of EarthLink Inc., passed away Tuesday, Jan. 2 due to complications from cancer. He was 49.

In November, EarthLink announced that Betty was taking a leave of absence from the company after being diagnosed with a serious form of cancer. Mike Lunsford will remain EarthLink’s interim CEO.

Betty, a strong proponent of so-called “open access” with cable operators, helped to secure high-speed carriage with Time Warner Cable, and was a key figure in EarthLink’s evolution from a traditional “ISP” to a more broadly-based broadband services provider.

“Garry was an extraordinary business partner and friend, and he will be sorely missed,” said Sky Dayton, founder of EarthLink and CEO of Helio. “Garry was at once the general you wanted at your side in battle and the friend you wanted to celebrate with when the war was won. Garry accomplished so much and made life better for so many people, that as we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his achievements. Our thoughts and prayers are with Garry’s wife, Kathy, and the rest of his family.”

Betty joined EarthLink in 1996, later heading up the company’s migration to broadband and its expansion of services beyond the traditional ISP.

The Betty family has requested that those wishing to pay their respects in lieu of flowers can send donations to The Garry Betty Foundation, established to further cancer research, at the following address:

  The Garry Betty Foundation
  c/o EarthLink Inc.
  Level A
  1375 Peachtree Street
  Atlanta, GA 30309

An information/tribute site for Garry Betty has been set up at https://gbetty.earthlink.net.