GTE Directories Wins Prestigious Industry Awards for Innovation, Cover Design, and Personal Commitment; Jan Butler Receives Distinguished Honors.

DALLAS - GTE Directories took home three APPY Awards on Oct. 1 at the ninth annual Yellow Pages Publishers Association (YPPA) convention, held in Marco Island, Fla. The association annually recognizes leaders in the
yellow pages directory industry with the APPY Awards Program. Recipients receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze award.

The company's SuperPages(sm) on-line yellow pages and web site directory, one of its printed directory covers, and one of its outstanding employees were recognized with APPY Awards -- the industry's highest award. Each entry for the APPY Award is judged on several factors including the quality and scope of the original research in identifying a problem or new opportunity; the uniqueness of the solutions developed; the strategies and techniques that are employed as well as the cost effectiveness and presentation of the product.

"Winning the APPY Award is truly an honor and reinforces the fact that there is great work being done by GTE Directories people in helping our advertisers' businesses grow and in providing information to consumers in a variety of media. We are especially proud that Jan Butler won the Individual Contribution Award, which honors her as the employee of the year for our entire industry," said President Earl A. Goode.

Jan Butler Wins Individual Contributor Award

Jan Butler, director of operations - national accounts, received the 1996 Individual Contribution Award for her dedication and commitment to industry excellence and YPPA's programs. With over 20 years of service with GTE, she plays a critical role in the operational support of the company's national accounts.

In working with YPPA, Butler serves on the Advisory Board for both the Rates and Data Committee and the AD*NET
Committee. She also served on several other YPPA committees, including Item Code Standardization, Electronic Billing and
Metrics Committees.

"Jan's role in the current development of a new and improved rates and data system has been consistent with her creative approach and dedication in solving difficult issues," said Jim Logan, President of the Yellow Pages Publishers Association. "YPPA is proud to have Jan as a part of our team."

GTE's SuperPages Wins the Gold APPY Award for Innovation

GTE Directories' SuperPages yellow pages and web site directory (http://superpages.gte.net) won the Gold Award for
innovation in new media services. SuperPages is an interactive service for consumers and advertisers on the Internet's World Wide Web.

The product offers a national, electronic Yellow Pages with over 10 million business listings and a Web site directory and search tool, containing over 60,000 web sites. The service, offered free to users, is designed to assist consumers in locating businesses, products and services in an interactive environment, and to help businesses reach their customers through the Internet.

SuperPages has been well-recognized as an innovative, high quality service in an emerging electronic commerce arena. USA Today recognized SuperPages as a "Hot Site" on the World Wide Web. Point Communications, an independent Web site reviewing service, listed SuperPages in its "Top 5 Percent Of the Web" ranking.

Metro Vancouver Directory Covers Wins the Silver Award

In the directory cover design category, GTE Directories' Canadian operations, Dominion Directory Company, won the Silver Award for its Metro Vancouver directory, which highlights the beauty of the Pacific Northwest while subtly promoting the various services in the area. The cover, "BC TEL Quality," was designed to associate BC TEL, the local telephone company, with quality, reliability, service, convenience, and worldwide capabilities.

GTE Directories is one of the world's largest telephone directory companies. Through its various advertising services and information media, the company has established itself as a leader in effectively connecting buyers and sellers. GTE Directories annually publishes or provides sales, consulting and other services relating to 2,400 directory titles throughout the United States and in Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America, with a total circulation of 80 million copies. Its other advertising services include ON CALL audiotex services and Quick Tips electronic consumer information.

The company was named a 1994 winner of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes U.S. companies
that have outstanding quality management systems. GTE Directories is a part of GTE Corp., Stamford, Conn.