Verizon Virginia President Robert Woltz Jr. to Retire After 40 Years

RICHMOND, Va., June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After 40 years of service with Verizon, including the last 11 years as president of Verizon Virginia, Robert Woltz Jr. will retire effective July 15.  

"Robert has worked tirelessly for our customers, our employees and our communities," said Colleen McCloskey, Verizon's senior vice president of state government affairs.  "His leadership and extensive experience have navigated Verizon through a sea change in Virginia's telecommunications landscape.  We thank Robert for his many contributions to Verizon and wish him all the best in his retirement."

Woltz said, "I have spent a great 40 years with C&P, Bell Atlantic and Verizon.  During that time, I've been able to work with wonderful people and experience nonstop changes in technology and the competitive marketplace.  I am proud of what we all have been able to accomplish, and I am grateful to all my teammates for their efforts and support."

During Woltz's tenure as president, Verizon Virginia underwent a transformation from a highly regulated telephone company to a leading provider of broadband, television and voice communications services amid fierce competition and rapid technological change.  In 2006, Woltz's team secured passage of innovative legislation that hastened competition for cable TV in the commonwealth.  

Over the past 20 years, Woltz's team has worked closely with six governors, the General Assembly and the State Corporation Commission to keep Virginia telecommunications policy on pace with the changes in the marketplace and ensure that Virginia remained a leading state for Verizon's capital investments in new technologies such as FiOS services.

A native Virginian who grew up in Clarksville, Woltz began his telecommunications career in 1971 with C&P Telephone of Virginia.  Over the following 20 years he held positions in network services, human resources, public communications and marketing operations.  Woltz's assignments have included responsibility for regional operations in the mid-Atlantic area from Virginia to New Jersey.

Woltz returned to Virginia in 1992 after spending the previous year with Bell Atlantic International in Oslo, Norway, where he worked on development of the company's wireless portfolio.  He was named vice president of external affairs in 1993.  

Woltz currently serves, by gubernatorial appointment, on the Governor's Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) Advisory Board.  He also serves in leadership positions as the chair of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, chair of Venture Richmond and on the executive committee of the Richmond Management Round Table.

In addition, Woltz serves as a member of the Virginia Business Council, and on the boards of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, the VCU School of Engineering and the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education.  He also is an executive advisor to the Consortium of Information and Telecommunications Executives (CITE).  

Woltz earned a B.S. in mathematics with highest distinction from Hampden-Sydney College in 1971.

Woltz and his wife, Pam, plan to remain in Richmond, where both of their adult children also reside.

Organizational changes resulting from Woltz's retirement will be determined at a later date.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 104 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon