National Urban League Honors Bell Atlantic Foundation President

National Urban League Honors
Bell Atlantic Foundation President

Suzanne DuBose Recognized for 'Tenacious Advocacy'

August 24, 1999

NEW YORK -- Suzanne DuBose, president of the Bell Atlantic
Foundation, is among three recipients of the National Urban League's
1999 Donald H. McGannon Awards. National Urban League President
and CEO Hugh Price presented the award to DuBose during the
organization's annual conference in Houston earlier this month.

The awards, created in honor of a former president of the National Urban
League, are presented to individuals who epitomize McGannon's
commitment, ideals and beliefs in equal opportunity.

Price noted that the relationship between the National Urban League and
Bell Atlantic has been substantially enhanced through DuBose's
"tenacious advocacy" and hailed her for having been
"unswerving in spotting and addressing the crucial issues which
make a difference in the lives of this nation's African-American
citizens."

DuBose was cited for her efforts in securing philanthropic support to
address the need for after-school programs for African-American youth
and for the National Urban League's technology initiatives, as well as her
leadership in increasing Bell Atlantic's involvement with the
organization's affiliate network.

Expressing appreciation on behalf of Bell Atlantic, DuBose said:
"Distributing money is relatively easy. Investing it wisely through
creating an ongoing relationship that's beneficial to the communities we
serve is much more difficult. I'm proud to have played a role in forging
the strong partnership that exists between Bell Atlantic and the National
Urban League. It's a partnership that augurs well for both of our
organizations."

DuBose noted that Bell Atlantic is committed to fostering diversity in the
workplace, to investing in minority communities and to helping combat
cyberhate through its foundation's funding of Internet Web site
development for various organizations promoting racial harmony, equality
and justice.

DuBose has been president of the Bell Atlantic Foundation for two years.
Prior to the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX, she held a similar
position with NYNEX.

A political and civic activist, DuBose has held top positions in several
major political campaigns. She chairs the development committee for the
National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS and serves on the New
York City Executive Committee for the United Negro College Fund, the
National Urban League's Corporate Committee, the NAACP Special
Contributions Board, and the board of directors of Madison Square Park in
Manhattan. DuBose is a member of the Council on Foundations, the New
York Regional Association of Grantmakers and The Conference Board's
Contributions Committee. She and her husband, Dietmar, live in
Manhattan's Flatiron neighborhood.

The Bell Atlantic Foundation supports a variety of projects domestically
and internationally, with an emphasis on new technology applications in
education, health and
human services, the arts and humanities, and civic development in the
communities served
by Bell Atlantic. For more information, visit
www.bellatlanticfoundation.com on the Internet.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 43 million telephone access lines
and nearly 10 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.

NOTE: Photos available on request.