Qwest Communications Announces Senior Management and Organizational Changes
(So enough to get a positive response ?)
DENVER, July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) today announced that Richard
C. Notebaert, its new chairman and chief executive officer, has recruited
three senior executives and made organizational changes as part of his plan to
refocus the business, bring proven managerial talent to Qwest and implement a
more cohesive approach to key customer segments.
Oren G. Shaffer has joined Qwest as vice chairman and chief financial
officer. Shaffer, a broadly experienced senior finance executive, was CFO of
Ameritech from 1994 to 2000 after spending 25 years at Goodyear, where he was
CFO and a member of the board of directors. He succeeds Robin R. Szeliga in
the CFO role. Szeliga remains an executive vice president of the company,
focusing on Qwest's debt reduction plans.
Qwest has also reorganized the company around three market-facing units
serving consumers, businesses and wholesale customers. Qwest's national
consumer markets, wireless, cable and video businesses have been combined as
the consumer markets group under executive vice president Annette M. Jacobs,
who was formerly responsible for the wireless business. Qwest's national
business accounts and global business accounts have been combined under
executive vice president Clifford S. Holtz, who was formerly responsible for
national business accounts and will now head up the new business markets group
focusing on business customers of all sizes. Gordon C. Martin, executive vice
president, will continue to run Qwest's wholesale markets group.
Qwest has also formed a special businesses group, Qwest Enterprises,
headed by James L. Becker, who was formerly executive vice president of
customer operations. This unit will contain some of Qwest's smaller
standalone businesses, including hosting and application services, operator
services, calling cards, international networks and other operations. The
goal of Qwest Enterprises will be to provide these businesses with special
focus, allowing those that meet profitability objectives to prosper and grow.
Jacobs, Holtz, Martin and Becker will report to Afshin Mohebbi, president
and chief operating officer, who is now responsible for all of Qwest's
operating units, including Qwest's directories business, QwestDex.
James A. Smith, formerly executive vice president for national consumer
markets; Shaun P. Gilmore, formerly executive vice president for global
accounts; and Ross Lau, formerly president, Qwest Asia, will all be leaving
Qwest.
In other management changes, Joan H. Walker has joined Qwest as senior
vice president, corporate communications. Ms. Walker was formerly senior vice
president, global public affairs at Pharmacia. Earlier, she held a similar
SVP role at Monsanto prior to the company's merger with Pharmacia & Upjohn in
April 2000. Before joining Monsanto, Ms. Walker was senior vice president
corporate communications at Ameritech from 1996 to 1999. She succeeds Michael
P. Tarpey who announced his retirement last April.
Gary R. Lytle, a senior government affairs executive who was formerly
interim president and chief executive officer of the United States Telecom
Association and ran Ameritech's Washington office from 1992 to 2000, has
joined Qwest as vice president, policy and law, responsible for the company's
Washington office. He succeeds Lauren "Pete" Belvin, who will serve as a
consultant to Qwest.
In addition to Shaffer, Mohebbi, Szeliga, Walker and Lytle, reporting to
Notebaert will be Drake S. Tempest, executive vice president, general counsel;
Ian V. Ziskin, executive vice president and chief human resources officer; and
Al-Noor Ramji, executive vice president and chief information officer.
Notebaert said, "Today's organizational changes will bring greater focus
to our efforts to meet the needs of our customers and streamline the company
for the key priority of retaining and growing our business. I am confident
that, in consolidating our operating units under Afshin Mohebbi, we can
improve our ability to provide seamless end-to-end communications solutions to
our customers while increasing synergies and eliminating overlap and
inefficiencies.
"In bringing on board Oren Shaffer, Joan Walker and Gary Lytle in key
staff positions, I believe we have added significant talent and credibility to
the management team. While we may make further management changes, I believe
the senior team we now have in place is very well suited to meet the
challenges we have ahead of us.
"We deeply appreciate all that Robin Szeliga has done for Qwest in a very
difficult environment and we look forward to her continuing contributions as a
member of Qwest's senior management team. We also want to thank Jim Smith,
Shaun Gilmore, Ross Lau, Mike Tarpey and 'Pete' Belvin for their many
contributions to Qwest," Notebaert added.
Biographies - New Officers
Oren G. Shaffer
Oren G. Shaffer, 59, is vice chairman and chief financial officer. Prior
to joining Qwest, Mr. Shaffer was president and chief operating officer of
Sorrento Networks, a maker of optical products. Previously he had been chief
financial officer of Ameritech from 1994-2000 where he was responsible for all
of the company's financial affairs.
Prior to joining Ameritech, Mr. Shaffer was the president of Virgo Cap
Inc., an investment firm. From 1968 to 1992, he held increasingly senior
executive positions at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. He was most recently
executive vice president, chief financial officer and director. His 25-year
career at Goodyear included 15 years of international experience, including
chairman and chief executive officer of Goodyear's operations in France.
Mr. Shaffer is on the Board of Directors of the Singapore Equity Fund and
the Japan Fund. He holds a B.S. degree in business administration from the
University of California at Berkeley and an M.S. degree in management from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Joan H. Walker
Joan Walker, 55, is senior vice president of corporate communications.
Before joining Qwest, she was SVP, global public affairs at Pharmacia. Ms.
Walker held the same role at Monsanto prior to the company's merger with
Pharmacia & Upjohn in April 2000. Prior to joining Monsanto in November 1999,
Ms. Walker was SVP, corporate communications at Ameritech from 1996 to 1999
where she was responsible for corporate marketing and branding, advertising,
customer research and database management, media relations, financial
communications, executive communications, internal communications and external
relations initiatives. She was also president of the Ameritech Foundation and
a member of the company's management committee.
Ms. Walker began her career as an instructor in the Institute of
Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University from 1971 to 1973. She
held senior level administrative and policy roles in New Jersey state
government from 1973 to 1982. In 1982, Ms. Walker founded Richmann and
Partners, which, as President and CEO, she developed into a mid-size marketing
communications company. The company was acquired by Saatchi and Saatchi in
1988, and Walker joined the agency as an EVP responsible for corporate
strategy. In 1990 she joined NYNEX as Managing Director of marketing
communications. Ms. Walker joined Bozell Worldwide Public Relations as
President and CEO in 1993 and became a partner of Bozell Sawyer Miller Group
in 1996.
Ms. Walker holds a B.A. degree in sociology from Douglass College, and an
M.A. degree in sociology from Rutgers University.
Gary R. Lytle
Gary Lytle, 59, is vice president, policy and law, responsible for the
company's Washington office. Mr. Lytle was formerly interim president and
chief executive officer at the United States Telecom Association (USTA) from
September, 2000 until 2001. Prior to joining the USTA, Mr. Lytle was vice
president, federal relations at Ameritech, where his responsibilities included
serving as head of the Washington D.C. office and lead Washington lobbyist on
all issues involving the U.S. Congress, the White House and The Federal
Communications Commission. Mr. Lytle was also a corporate officer of
Ameritech and worked directly with Ameritech's chief executive officer and the
Board as a key policymaker on legislative and regulatory issues.
From 1980 to 1992, Mr. Lytle held government relations positions at
Michigan Bell, including vice president of government affairs, where he was
responsible for all state and federal relations activity.
Mr. Lytle holds B.A. and M.B.A. degrees in Business Administration from
Michigan State University. |
