DALLAS, April 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard A. ("Rick") Smith, current President and Chief Executive Officer announced today the promotion of Robert E. Pickens, Chief Operating Officer to President of Securus Technologies effective May 1, 2014.  Mr. Smith will retain the Chief Executive Officer title.

"I have worked with Mr. Pickens for over 15 years – in the telecommunications, telecom systems, and high tech government services sectors and he possesses the positive attributes of commitment to the firm, a high level of business integrity, business intellect, and the ability to get results over long periods of time," said Smith.

Mr. Smith continued, "At Securus, Mr. Pickens held the positions of Vice President of Marketing and Chief Operating Officer, and also held these same positions at the previous company Eschelon Telecom, Inc. – a Minneapolis, Minnesota competitive local exchange carrier where he and I worked together for approximately nine (9) years.  Because of our tenure working together, I am sure that Mr. Pickens will continue to deliver good results as a higher level executive.

"We have completed nine (9) strategic acquisitions of assets, patents, technologies, and companies over the last twenty-four (24) months – and Mr. Pickens represents a perfect match for effectively managing this expanded set of entities and assets along with his classic Securus responsibilities.

"We have created the broadest product set in the corrections industry over the last two (2) years and have invested $175 million – now we want to fully integrate these and achieve all of the value creation that we expected."

Mr. Smith as Chief Executive Officer will continue to have direct responsibility for business development, accounting, finance, human resources, legal/regulatory and Mr. Pickens will have direct responsibility for all Securus and subsidiary operations.

"This move positions Securus Technologies for the next ten (10) years from a succession planning perspective – continuing our track record of building a business with the best customer service, good organic revenue and EBITDA growth, the highest level of integrity, and strong public safety and security products," said Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith also reiterated that he has no immediate plans to retire or leave the company – that this move is simply good succession planning and will benefit everyone.

About Securus

Securus Technologies, Inc. is one of the largest providers of detainee communications, parolee tracking, and government information management solutions, serving approximately 2,600 correctional facilities in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Mexico, and more than 1,000,000 inmates. A recognized leader in providing comprehensive, innovative technical solutions and responsive customer service, Securus' sole focus is the specialized needs of the corrections and law enforcement communities. Securus is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, including four regional offices in the Dallas metro area as well as one in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information please visit the Securus website at www.securustech.net.

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SOURCE Securus Technologies, Inc.