Alex and all: Bell Atlantic on Westell Board
There is a lot more than meets the eye by naming a person from Bell Atlantic to the Westell Board. Issues range from control of Westell by BA all the way to conflicts of interest between BA and other customers of Westell! This is a real bomb shell IMHO. One does NOT make a move such as this without having calculated all potential outcomes and ramifications. This should be exciting to watch.
Bell Atlantic's Seazholtz Added to Westell Board of Directors
BA Technology Chief Brings 30+ years of Telco Experience to
Westell Board
AURORA, Ill., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Westell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: WSTL - news)
today announced that John W. Seazholtz, Bell Atlantic's Chief Technology Officer, will
officially become a member of Westell Technologies Board of Directors. Mr. Seazholtz further
solidifies a highly focused and influential board of directors, lead by Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer, Gary Seamans. Mr. Seazholtz, elected Chief Technology officer for
Bell Atlantic in 1995, is responsible for Bell Atlantic's Research & Development, Systems
Engineering, Technology Planning and Network Systems Integration.
As Westell Technologies' newest board member, Mr. Seazholtz's guidance and vision will
enhance Westell's position as a leading supplier of ADSL and telecommunications access
products into the RBOC and LEC marketplace. Larry Babbio, President and CEO of Bell
Atlantic Network Group and Chair - Wireless Group, stated, ''John Seazholtz's superior
knowledge and strategic view of our industry is legendary here at Bell Atlantic and throughout
our industry. As a Westell board member, he will provide Westell with the benefit of his insight
and expertise in the broadband marketplace. This will sustain and grow Bell Atlantic's strong
alliance with Westell and improve upon Westell's already strong position in the ADSL market.''
Before assuming his position as Chief Technology Officer with Bell Atlantic, Mr. Seazholtz
served in numerous capacities within Bell Atlantic, including Vice President - Network
Technologies, Vice President - Technology, Engineering and Information Services, Vice
President - Technology and Product Management, Vice President - Technology Planning and
Marketing and Vice President - Engineering and Operations. Prior to these assignments, he was
New Jersey Bell's Vice President - Sales and held various positions at Bell Telephone
Laboratories and AT&T. Mr. Seazholtz served as a Captain in the United States Air Force from
1959 to 1962. He attended New Jersey Institute of Technology and received a BS degree in
Mechanical Engineering and New York University Graduate School.
''I am very pleased to accept membership to the Westell Board of Directors. I have had a long
and very successful relationship with Westell and look forward to continuing our relationship in
this manner,'' said John Seazholtz. ''Westell established itself years ago as a reliable and
innovative supplier of telecommunications network transmission products, enabling advanced
telecommunications services over copper telephone lines and enhancing the quality of life for
many people around the world. Westell has continued this legacy, as one of the premier ADSL
suppliers in the world today. As this market continues to unfold today and more and more
people are touched by this technology, I can't help but be very excited at the promise and
potential the future holds for Westell.'' Mr. Seazholtz is an elected fellow with the National
Engineering Consortium and holds board memberships with the Alliance for
Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), Board of Overseers at the New Jersey Institute
of Technology and is a member of the FCC's Network Reliability and Interoperability Council.
''The creative skill and sophisticated network architectural knowledge John Seazholtz brings to
Westell is truly world class,'' Gary Seamans exclaimed. ''His marketplace knowledge and his
ability to consistently see clearly through the maze of complex issues entangling our industry,
ultimately benefits the consumer and typifies the quality of individual we gain as a Westell
Board member today. We are extremely proud to welcome John Seazholtz to the Westell
board.''
Westell Technologies is a holding company for Westell, Inc., Conference Plus, Inc. and Westell
WorldWide Services, Inc.
Westell, Inc. is a leading world-wide innovator and manufacturer of xDSL systems and
telecommunications access products, with corporate headquarters in Aurora, Illinois. Westell's
xDSL products are currently in use or trial by more than 100 customers in over 30 countries
worldwide, including Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, Bell Canada, BT, GTE, MCI, Quebec
Telephone, SBC, Saskatchewan Telephone, Telecom Italia, US West and leading Internet
service providers. In addition to developing and manufacturing xDSL and non-DSL data and
telecommunications products, Westell, Inc. has established technology relationships with
leading telecommunication, software, computing and semi- conductor companies such as
Atlantech Technologies, ATML, DSC Communications, GlobeSpan, Lucent Technologies,
Microsoft, Motorola and others.
Conference Plus, Inc., is a multi-point telecommunications service bureau specializing in audio
teleconferencing, multi-point video conferencing, broadcast fax, and multimedia teleconference
services.
Westell WorldWide Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Westell Technologies,
provides engineering, installation and network management services to leading network
providers as well as turn-key equipment and service solutions to enterprise customers and
service providers.
Additional information can be obtained by visiting Westell's Web site at
westell.com.
''Safe Harbor'' statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
Certain statements contained herein such as volume deployment of ADSL systems in 1998 are
forward looking statements. These statements include risks and uncertainties such as those listed
under the ''Risk Factors'' section contained in Westell's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
March 31, 1997. These risks include but are not limited to, product demand and market
acceptance risks, the impact of competitive products and technologies, competitive pricing
pressures, product development, commercialization and technological delays or difficulties, the
effect of economic conditions and trade, legal, social and economic risks.
SOURCE: Westell Technologies, Inc. |
