<A> Telegroup Names Thomas E. Brand as Chief Technology Officer
FAIRFIELD, Iowa--Telegroup Inc. (Nasdaq: TGRP), a leading provider of international telecommunications services, announced today that it has named Thomas E. Brand to serve as Chief Technology Officer, a new position for the company.
Cliff Rees, Chief Executive Officer of Telegroup, commented: "The addition of Tom Brand will allow Telegroup to explore new avenues of expansion as we continue to grow our global network and customer base."
Rees continued, "We are particularly delighted to have someone of Tom Brand's stature join Telegroup. With over 27 years' experience in our industry, he is unquestionably one of the premier telecommunications engineering talents in the world. His experience integrating a wide variety of voice and data technologies will be a tremendous asset to Telegroup as it moves forward with plans to expand the level of services offered through its global network."
Prior to joining Telegroup, Mr. Brand, 59, was Executive Director of Strategic Accounts Engineering at MCI. Mr. Brand, who had been with MCI for more than 12 years, was most recently responsible for strategic special applications delivery for both domestic and international customers. This included the development of complex voice/data network designs, systems engineering, program management, technology assessment and special products. Previously Mr. Brand served as Director of Service Engineering and Director of Network Engineering at Satellite Business Systems. He also was program director for numerous telecommunications acquisition programs for the United States Air Force.
Mr. Brand stated: "I am very pleased to have the opportunity to apply my years of industry experience in the implementation of a state-of-the-art global voice and data telecommunications network with Telegroup."
Telegroup is a leading global alternative provider of long distance telecommunications services. The company offers a broad range of discounted international, national, and enhanced telecommunications services to small- and medium-sized business and residential customers in over 180 countries worldwide. In addition, Telegroup offers value-added wholesale services to over twenty domestic and international telecommunications carriers. The company has achieved its significant international market penetration by developing what it believes to be one of the most comprehensive global sales, marketing and customer service organizations. Telegroup operates a reliable, cost-effective, digital, facilities-based network, the Telegroup Intelligent Global Network, which consists of a central network operating center, twenty-one switches, five enhanced service platforms, owned or leased capacity on nine digital fiber-optic cable links, and leased parallel data transmission capacity connecting Telegroup's switches to each other and the networks of other national and international carriers. Telegroup had revenues of $337 million in 1997. |
