GTE names Fares F. Salloum senior vice president-international operations.

STAMFORD, Conn. -- GTE Corp. today appointed Fares F. Salloum senior vice president - international operations, effective June 1, according to GTE Vice Chairman and President - International Michael T. Masin. Salloum succeeds Bruce E. Haddad, who died Feb. 19.

Salloum, 48, assumes this corporate position following a 24-year career with BC TELECOM, one of two GTE telephone companies in Canada. He will be responsible for all international operations, including those in Canada, Asia and Latin America as well as any operations GTE may acquire or build worldwide, said Masin. He also will become a member of GTEs executive leadership committee, a small group of senior executives that works closely with GTEs Office of the Chairman in identifying and addressing key strategic issues.

Salloum brings not only significant international experience but also a wealth of operational experience in all phases of the telecommunications business to this senior international position, Masin said. He will join Ignacio Santillana, GTEs senior vice president - international business development, in providing GTE with the outstanding leadership we need to enhance the value of our existing international operations and pursue new, profitable growth opportunities worldwide.

Background on Salloum

Salloum most recently served as executive vice president - communication services for BC TEL since April 1995, with responsibility for sales, personal communications, local and field services, long-distance services, data and integrated network services, communications systems, interactive multimedia services and systems support. Previously, he was president and director of BC TEL Services and vice president - emerging business for BC TELECOM from 1993 to 1995. He also served as vice president - emerging business for BC TELECOM from 1991 to 1993.

He is chairman of Information Systems Management (B.C.) Corp., SRI Strategic Resources Inc. and Telecom Leasing Canada. He also is chairman and president of BC TEL Systems Support Inc.; vice chairman and chief executive officer of BC TEL Mobility Cellular Inc. and BC Mobile Ltd.; and, president of BC TEL Properties Inc.

Salloum serves on the boards of directors of Telesat Canada, Mobility Canada, Stentor Telecom Policy Inc., Stentor Resource Centre Inc., MediaLinx, Pacific Place Communications Ltd., the United Way of the Lower Mainland, and the Dragon Boat Festival Committee. He is a member of the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Terminal City Club and the Association of Professional Engineers of British Columbia.

He received his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the University of British Columbia. Salloum and his family will relocate to the greater Dallas area, where he will be based.

Background on GTE

With revenues of more than $21 billion in 1996, GTE is one of the largest publicly held telecommunications companies in the world. In the United States, GTE offers local and wireless service in 29 states and long-distance service in all 50 states. GTE was the first among its peers to offer one-stop shopping for local, long-distance and Internet access services.

Outside the United States, where GTE has operated for more than 40 years, the company serves over 6.5 million customers. GTE manages major telecommunications operations and provides a broad array of services through BC TELECOM in British Columbia, Canada; Quebec Telephone in Quebec, Canada; CODETEL in the Dominican Republic; and CANTV in Venezuela. GTE provides wireless services in Argentina through its investment in CTI, has formed a joint venture that is providing paging services in China and is a member of a joint venture building out a nationwide cellular system in Taiwan. GTE also provides telecommunications products and services ranging from telephone directories to airborne communications in several countries throughout the world. In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, GTE also is listed on the stock exchanges in Amsterdam, Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, London, Paris, Tokyo and Zurich.

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