Walking the line between wireless and land-based.(Dan Hesse, Sprint Corp.)(Interview)

Byline: Tricia Duryee

Jun. 10--For almost a decade, Seattle executive Dan Hesse has been doing everything without wires attached.

That changes with this week's announcement that he'll become the new chief executive of Sprint's local telecommunications division. In that position, he will lead the charge to spin off the division from Sprint, once the wireless division's merger with Nextel Communications is completed later this year. He will also spearhead the effort to make the company more attractive to consumers as wireless, cable and other industries compete to offer the same services. Most recently, Hesse was chief executive of Terabeam, a broadband wireless provider that attracted huge investments by shooting data through the air using lasers. Early last year, he sold the company to Falls Church, Va.-based YDI. Before that, he spent three years as chief executive at Redmond-based AT&T Wireless and 20 years at AT&T.

The Seattle Times caught up with Hesse by phone during his first week on the job in Overland Park, Kan., where he is now based. Here are excerpts of the conversation.

QUESTION: Last …