Verizon Chief Information Officer Shaygan Kheradpir Named to CIO Magazine's Hall of Fame

NEW YORK -- Verizon Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Shaygan Kheradpir has been named to CIO magazine's CIO Hall of Fame. Twenty Hall of Fame honorees were selected for their leadership in the CIO community and contributions to the advancement of the profession.

This year's honorees mark the second time in 10 years CIO magazine has selected Hall of Fame inductees. They will be recognized at the magazine's 20th anniversary celebration and awards ceremony in October.

According to Abbie Lundberg, editor-in-chief of CIO magazine, "As we celebrate 20 years of providing IT executives with the strategies and best practices to perform their jobs effectively, it makes sense to honor the elite CIOs who have been pioneers in breaking new ground in the use of technology in business."

Kheradpir said, "This honor is really a tribute to the tremendously talented Verizon IT team, which has been an engine of innovation and an agent of change in revolutionizing the way our customers live in the digital world.  Our IT team has created the systems that translate the power of Verizon's amazing network technologies - from our industry-leading FiOS network to our global IP capabilities to the nation's fastest and most reliable wireless network -- into great new applications and customer experiences."

Kheradpir, who has a doctorate in electrical engineering, is executive vice president and chief information officer for Verizon Communications, with responsibility for the information technology initiatives of all Verizon's business units in telecom, wireless and business.

Prior to assuming his present responsibilities this year, Kheradpir was senior vice president and chief information officer for Verizon wireline operations. He led technology development and innovation for key Verizon initiatives, including developing and implementing the systems supporting the rollout of Verizon's all-fiber FiOS network and the FiOS Internet, FiOS TV and voice services provided over that network.

Kheradpir began his communications career with Verizon predecessor company GTE in 1987. In 1994 he became vice president - GTE Labs, where he directed the company's Software Systems Lab, and later directed the information technology initiatives for the company's enterprise and eBusiness units.

Kheradpir is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers, and the National Academy of Engineers selected him as one of the nation's 85 outstanding young engineers in 1996. Kheradpir is a member of the Cornell University Council, as well as a member of the Cornell University School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisory Council. He is also on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater New York. From 1992 to 1994, he was an adjunct professor of electrical engineering at Northeastern University. Kheradpir has written more than 20 journal papers and holds several U.S. patents.

Kheradpir earned a bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from Cornell University.

Hall of Fame inductees will be honored during CIO magazine's annual CIO|08: The Year Ahead Conference Awards Ceremony, Monday, October 29th at the Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, Cal.  The ceremony, to be attended by more than 175 of the world's most influential chief information officers (CIOs), CEOs and senior business executives, will highlight the impact forward thinking CIOs had on the field while attendees plan for the year ahead. (More information available at http://public.cxo.com/conferences/index.html?conferenceID=13)

About the CIO Hall of Fame:
The CIO Hall of Fame was first created in 1997 to spotlight IT professionals who had provided significant contributions to and profound influence on the IT discipline, the use of technology in business and the advancement of the CIO role.

About CIO Magazine
Produced by CXO Media, the CIO portfolio includes CIO.com, CIO magazine (launched in 1987), CIO Executive Programs and the CIO Executive Council.  CIO properties provide technology and business leaders with analysis and insight on information technology trends and a keen understanding of IT's role in achieving business goals.  The U.S. edition of the magazine and website are recipients of 140 awards to date, including two Grand Neals from the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards and two Magazine of the Year awards from the National Society of Business Publication Editors.  CIO magazine is published in more than a dozen countries, including Australia, Canada, China, France and Germany.  CIO Executive Programs-a series of face-to-face conferences including the CIO 100 Awards & Symposium(tm)-provide educational and networking opportunities for pre-qualified corporate and government leaders.  The CIO Executive Council is a professional organization of CIOs created to achieve lasting change in critical industry, academic, media and governmental groups.  CXO Media is a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading technology media, research and event company. Company information is available at http://www.idg.com.

About Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 62 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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