Verizon Names Gale Given President of Verizon Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA - Verizon announced Tuesday (Oct. 14) that Gale Y. Given, currently regional president for Verizon's Great Lakes region, will become president of Verizon Pennsylvania, effective immediately.  Given replaces William B. Petersen, who was recently named vice president and associate general counsel for state regulatory matters in the Northeast.

Verizon also announced that Tabb J. Bishop, currently director of public policy, is promoted to vice president-public policy at Verizon Pennsylvania, effective immediately.  Bishop, who will report to Given, will be responsible for strategic policy, regulatory and external initiatives across the state.

"With Gale's extensive experience and proven track record in the telecommunications industry, she is a perfect fit for Verizon in Pennsylvania," said Colleen McCloskey, Verizon senior vice president-state public policy and external affairs.  "She has led successful efforts to enter and grow new markets - most recently with our FiOS TV service - spurring great innovation and customer choice."

Given said, "Pennsylvania is very important to Verizon's success.  I'm looking forward to building on the solid progress Bill Petersen and our Pennsylvania employees have made, expanding our unequaled FiOS services and winning customers in one of the country's most competitive states."

Given began her career in 1979 at the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia in the central office engineering organization.  Following a stint at Bell Communications Research, she held several positions in regulatory matters before being named president of Verizon West Virginia in June 2000.  Given was named president of Verizon's Great Lakes region in November 2003.

Given has a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's degree in business administration from Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va.

Bishop, a Philadelphia native and a graduate of Hampton University in Virginia, was deputy chief of staff in the executive office of the president of Temple University before joining Verizon Pennsylvania in March 2007.  He also worked in government relations and served as director of the Philadelphia delegation to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  In 2002, PoliticsPA named Bishop one of the Rising Stars in Pennsylvania public affairs, and this month he was honored by the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. 

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 nearly 69 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 employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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