Bell Atlantic Names Mudge State President

Bell Atlantic Names Mudge State President

Assumes Overall Responsibility for Massachusetts

April 24, 2000

BOSTON - Bell Atlantic has selected Robert Mudge, vice president - Massachusetts, to become president of its Massachusetts service area, succeeding Wayne Budd.

As state president Mudge assumes overall responsibility for the company's regulatory, service quality, capital investments and operational initiatives in Massachusetts. He also is responsible for legislative and government affairs, media relations, economic development, and community relations for the company in the Commonwealth.

"Bob is a highly effective operations and public policy leader for our business in Massachusetts," said Tom Tauke, executive vice president for Bell Atlantic. "Under Bob's leadership, Bell Atlantic has invested a record $3.3 billion in its telecommunications infrastructure in the state during the past five years. And during that time, we have met the state's stringent service quality measurements every year, aggressively deployed new services, and spent tens of millions of dollars to open Massachusetts' local telephone market to competition.

"I am confident that under Bob's continued leadership we will successfully complete the regulatory process for allowing Bell Atlantic to offer Massachusetts customers long distance as well as local phone service."

Mudge began his career with New England Telephone (now Bell Atlantic) in 1983 and has held a number of key positions in operations, regulatory and government affairs. He has served as vice president - Massachusetts for Bell Atlantic since 1998.

In addition, Mudge currently serves as a director of the Gibraltar Telephone Company, which is part of Bell Atlantic's expanding international operations.

He serves on numerous boards of directors, including the Artery Business Committee, the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Association, YMCA of Greater Boston, Massachusetts Business Roundtable, United Way of New England and the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. He is a trustee of the Wang Center and a member of the WGBH Corporate Executive Council and is on the Board of the Boston Private Industry Council, where he chairs the Workforce Development Committee.

He also serves on Governor Paul Cellucci's Special Commission on Deregulation and Convergence of Industry and is a member of the Lt. Governor's Council on Economic Development.

Mudge is a graduate of North Adams State College and received a master's degree in Business Administration from Suffolk University and a Professional Certificate in Telecommunications Technology from Northeastern University. He also has served as a member of the adjunct faculty at Massasoit Community College.

A native of Boston, Mudge and his wife Phylisan and their family live in Norwell.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With nearly 44 million telephone access lines and 12 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 23 countries.