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Photo: Verizon Wireless President & CEO Dan Mead chats with employees at the Hilliard, OH grand opening.
I recently joined more than 2,200 Verizon employees to celebrate the grand opening of our new corporate location in Hilliard, OH. The red ribbon and red carpet were rolled out as local government officials and Verizon executives visited the new office in Hilliard to mark the occasion. Dan Mead, president and CEO of Verizon Wireless, and Mark Frazier, president of the Ohio/Pennsylvania/West Virginia Region, joined Hilliard Mayor Don Schonhardt, Congressman Steve Stivers, State Senator Jim Hughes and State Representative Stephanie Kunze at a town hall meeting and tour of the new facilities.
From left to right: From Verizon Wireless: Midwest Vice President of Customer Service Joan Bowyer; Ohio/Pennsylvania/West Virginia Region President Mark Frazier; Midwest Area President Chris Baron; President and CEO Dan Mead; Mayor Don Schonhardt; Congressman Steve Stivers; State Senator Jim Hughes; State Representative Stephanie Kunze; Hilliard City Council Member Les Carrier
The celebration was about more than a new building to house up to 2,600 employees. It was also about the rapid growth being experienced by the wireless industry today, which translates to innovation and job growth in Ohio and beyond.
The 430,000 square foot complex underwent a nine-month renovation project and features two remodeled office buildings, a data center, a 7,000-sq. foot fitness facility and Ohio’s first Machine to Machine (M2M) Innovation Lab. As a result of the ability to expand in the new location, more than 250 new full-time employees were hired so far this year with an additional 100 positions projected to be filled by the end of the year.
Throughout the day at the grand opening celebration, employees who currently work at the office enjoyed a picnic, music and a vendor fair featuring leading wireless equipment manufacturers. Employees were able to meet new co-workers from a wide array of departments, including customer care, IT, network, business and government customer relations, finance and more, as they enjoyed interactive games and activities.
From left to right: From Verizon Wireless: Anita Rhea, director – Strategic Sales; Alexandra Guistino – Major Accounts Manager, Government; Carla Eisenloffel – National Accounts Manager
In support of the larger community, Verizon’s Midwest Area Vice President of Customer Service Joan Bowyer also presented a $25,000 HopeLine grant to CHOICES, the only emergency shelter and domestic violence agency dedicated to providing services for abuse victims living in Franklin County.
Larry Crowell, CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio, and Sue Villio, director of CHOICES, joined Verizon executives for the check presentation during the grand opening ceremony. The grant will support the organization as it continues to provide vital services to victims of abuse living in Franklin County.
From left to right: Julie Zdanowicz, Major Gifts Officer of Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio; Larry Crowell, CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio; Sue Villio, director of CHOICES, Mark Frazier, president, Ohio/Pennsylvania/West Virginia Region, Verizon Wireless; and Andy Brady, director – Retail Sales, Verizon Wireless
Our HopeLine program helps domestic violence victims in Columbus and across the country by providing cash grants to help nonprofits fund education, programs and support services, in addition to collecting no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories to support the organizations. HopeLine has donated more than 180,000 wireless phones with free local wireless service to domestic violence survivors since 2001, and has donated more than $200,000 in 2014 to domestic violence organizations across the state of Ohio.
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