SBC Communications Inc. today announced the senior management team that will lead the company when its acquisition of AT&T is completed, which is expected later this month. At that time, SBC will adopt AT&T, Inc. as the new company name.
Edward E. Whitacre Jr. will be chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the new AT&T.
Whitacre, 64, has reshaped the telecommunications landscape through a sweeping series of acquisitions, guiding the growth of SBC from the smallest regional Bell company to what will be the largest telecom company in America, once the AT&T merger closes.
Reporting to Whitacre will be:
- James W. Callaway, 59, group president-merger transition.
- James Cicconi, 53, senior executive vice president-external and legislative affairs, responsible for managing the company's public policy organization.
- James D. Ellis, 62, senior executive vice president and general counsel.
- Karen E. Jennings, 54, senior executive vice president-human resources and corporate communications.
- James S. Kahan, 58, senior executive vice president-corporate development.
- Rick Lindner, 50, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer.
- Forrest E. Miller, 52, group president AT&T Communications Corp., in charge of leading the national and global network, enterprise and consumer operations of the existing AT&T, as well as AT&T Labs. Miller will also help lead the integration of the two companies.
- Randall L. Stephenson, 45, chief operating officer, retaining his current responsibilities and also helping integrate operations of SBC and AT&T.
- Rayford Wilkins, Jr., 54, group president in charge of directory operations, international operations and the company's Sterling Commerce subsidiary.
"This is a superior management team. They are the best in the industry, and I am confident they will do an outstanding job at this critical time in our company's history," said Whitacre. "We are looking forward to hitting the ground running the minute the merger closes."
In addition, the company announced that David Dorman, 51, current CEO and chairman of AT&T, will become president of the new AT&T and a member of the board of directors for a brief transition period, after which he will resign from both positions. Dorman will then continue as a consultant to the combined company.
SBC's acquisition of AT&T has been approved by 35 of 36 states and the District of Columbia, as well as by the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Public Utilities Commission, which is the final regulatory body that must approve the merger, is expected to vote on Nov. 18.