Verizon Appoints Shaygan Kheradpir as New Chief Information Officer

NEW YORK - Verizon has selected Shaygan Kheradpir, president of the company's e-business unit, to assume the additional role of chief information officer (CIO). Kheradpir will replace current CIO Joseph P. Castellano, 57, when he retires Dec. 31.

Kheradpir and his e-business team recently led the company's effort to launch the company's newly designed Web site, Verizon.com, as a fully interactive e-commerce site for customers. The site allows customers for the first time to pay their bills electronically, order products, and request repairs - at any time.

"Shaygan Kheradpir is a recognized leader in the rapidly evolving e-business arena," said Lawrence T. Babbio Jr., Verizon vice chairman and president. "There is a natural fit between our e-business and Information Technology organizations. Shaygan's knowledge and skill will enable him to bring together these organizations in ways that create new synergies and exciting new features for Verizon customers and employees."

Kheradpir's e-business group at Verizon is responsible for a broad range of online business opportunities for the company. These include e-products and services development, customer acquisition and retention, online sales, and use of the Internet as a distribution channel for all Verizon products and services.

Before being appointed to his current position at the close of the GTE-Bell Atlantic merger, Kheradpir was vice president-Information Technology, Enterprise Systems for GTE. Enterprise Systems included more than 4,000 IT professionals across GTE National Operations.

Castellano has been responsible for Verizon's information systems strategy, architecture and the development of and maintenance of information systems for the company's network, retail, wholesale and corporate organizations.

"During his tenure, Joe has combined his strong business leadership skills with a vision for the potential of information technology in a way that has created one of the most advanced and effective IT organizations in the industry," said Babbio. "His contributions have been instrumental in this successful formative period for our new company. We wish him well in his future endeavors."

Castellano's responsibilities have also included planning and operating Verizon's data centers and internal network infrastructure, as well as providing end-to-end information processing services to the telecommunications, general accounting and health care industries.

Castellano joined NYNEX as CIO in 1992, after serving in high-level positions with Citibank, Drexel Burnham Lambert and Merrill Lynch. He was appointed president - Network and Corporate Systems for Bell Atlantic in 1997 when Bell Atlantic and NYNEX merged.

Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 128.5 million access line equivalents and 28.7 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with 256,000 employees and approximately $65 billion in annual revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.