Anthony A. Lewis Named President of Verizon Washington, DC

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Verizon has selected Anthony A. Lewis to become president of Verizon Washington, DC effective March 1. He will succeed Marie C. Johns, who is retiring at the end of February.

In his new role, Lewis will assume oversight for Verizon's operations, including regulatory and financial matters in the nation's capital, where he plans to make his home.

"Tony is the perfect choice to lead Verizon Washington, DC because of his broad business experience," said Colleen A. McCloskey, Verizon's senior vice president of state public policy and external affairs. "Tony's demonstrated leadership, customer focus and success in a number of operational assignments have uniquely qualified him for this key responsibility."

Lewis joined The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia, now Verizon Virginia, in 1986 as a group manager in the operator services department. He has since had several jobs with increasing responsibility in product-line management, traffic engineering, sales and regulatory.

Currently, as executive director of regulatory business planning, Lewis is leading companywide initiatives to achieve regulatory changes that are critical to Verizon's competitive market plans.

A graduate of the Wharton School's Leadership Development Program at the University of Pennsylvania, Lewis received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business from Elizabeth City State University. In 1999, he earned a Master of Science degree in business from Johns Hopkins University, where he also received a Master of Business Administration the following year.

Also joining Verizon Washington's leadership team effective March 1 will be Mary L. Coyne, who will become the company's vice president and general counsel. Currently, she serves as assistant general counsel for regulatory matters.

Coyne joined Verizon's legal department in 1999 and has litigated cases involving wholesale business matters throughout the company's nationwide service area. Prior to joining Verizon, she was an associate with the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington.

Coyne graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 1991, where she was a member of the Law Review. After law school, she served as a clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. She received a Master of Arts degree in public policy studies from the University of Chicago and her undergraduate degree from George Washington University. Coyne, her husband, Bill Kolasky, and their son reside in the District.

Verizon Communications

A Fortune 10 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services, with approximately $68 billion in annual revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####