Bell Atlantic honored for diversity of Board of Directors

WASHINGTON -- Bell Atlantic has been honored by the National Women's Economic Alliance Foundation for the diversity of its board of directors.

The company received the Alliance's Global Corporate Leadership Award at the13th annual Excellence in Leadership and Director's Choice program last night (Dec. 11) in Washington, D.C. James R. Young, Bell Atlantic vice president and general counsel, accepted the award.

In selecting Bell Atlantic as one of its corporate honorees, the Alliance said, "Your company recognizes that the numbers of women in the workplace, in business, industry and as entrepreneurs represent a talent base that no company can afford to ignore; (and) that the global nature of all business in a marketplace of diverse cultures and peoples increases that talent base."

Women and minority members serving on Bell Atlantic's corporate board include Rozanne L. Ridgway, co-chair, Atlantic Council of the United States; Shirley Young, vice president-consumer market development, General Motors Corp., and James H. Gilliam, Jr., executive vice president and general counsel, Beneficial Corp. Ridgway and fellow board member Frank C. Carlucci, chairman, Carlyle Group, were among more than 500 men and women leaders from business, industry and government attending the event.

"We strive for cultural diversity throughout our organization -- on the board of directors, in the management ranks, and in the employee body," said Young. "We do so because it's simply good business. Any company hoping to succeed in a competitive world must get to know and understand their customers - all of them.

"Bell Atlantic is very fortunate to have a vast number of talented women and minority employees, executives, and board members, without whom our vision of being the world's best telecommunications company would certainly be out of reach," he said.

The Alliance is a nonprofit organization that works with business and industry to increase career opportunities for women in the workforce, and serves as a resource to business, industry and government, identifying senior level women for corporate board appointments.

Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new communications, entertainment and information industry. In the mid-Atlantic region, the company is the premier provider of local telecommunications and advanced services. Globally, it is one of the largest investors in the high-growth wireless communication marketplace. Bell Atlantic also owns a substantial interest in Telecom Corp. of New Zealand and is actively developing high-growth national and international business opportunities in all phases of the industry.