William B. Petersen Chosen to Lead Verizon's Legal Team for State Regulatory Matters in Northeast

PHILADELPHIA - Verizon Communications has named William B. Petersen vice president and associate general counsel for state regulatory matters in the Northeast, effective immediately.  Petersen also will maintain his role as president of Verizon Pennsylvania until a successor is named, and he will continue to be based in Philadelphia.

In his new position, Petersen is responsible for Verizon's legal strategy on regulatory matters in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey.  He will assume responsibility for New York and the New England states by mid-September.

"Bill's extensive experience on the legal and public policy sides of telecommunications and competitive marketplace issues will serve him well as he returns to lead Verizon's legal team in the Northeast," said Michael E. Glover, Verizon senior vice president and deputy general counsel.

Colleen A. McCloskey, senior vice president-state public affairs, policy and communications, said, "While Bill is returning to his legal roots, we're happy that he'll continue to have strong ties to Pennsylvania in his new position, and he'll continue as state president until a successor is named."

Under Petersen, Verizon has continued its transformation into the leading communications, broadband and entertainment provider in Pennsylvania amid unprecedented competition.  The company has obtained 256 cable franchises to date across Pennsylvania and is offering its industry-leading FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses.

Petersen said, "Verizon and its Pennsylvania employees have made great strides in telecommunications - be it in the marketplace or the public policy arena.  I'm eager to help bring that success to other states."

Prior to becoming president of Verizon Pennsylvania in May 2006, Petersen was Verizon's general counsel for Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.  Before joining the company's legal department in 2000, he was an assistant United States attorney in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and also worked in private practice.  Petersen graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the school's Law Review. 

Petersen serves on the boards of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and its CEO Council for Growth; the Independence Visitor Center Corporation; The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts; WHYY; and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.

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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