9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Keynote Speaker
Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Communications
One on One Interview by:
John A. Byrne, Executive Editor of BusinessWeek
Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Communications: Ivan Seidenberg is chairman of the Board and chief executive officer for Verizon. On November 6, 2003, Verizon announced that Mr. Seidenberg would become chairman of the Board effective January 1, 2004. He has served as the sole CEO since April 1, 2002. As chief executive of Bell Atlantic, and previously of NYNEX, Ivan Seidenberg was instrumental in reshaping the communications industry through two of the largest mergers in its history: the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX in 1997 and the Bell Atlantic merger with GTE in 2000. He also led efforts in September 1999 to form Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest cellular business composed of the wireless assets of Bell Atlantic, GTE and Vodafone Airtouch.Mr. Seidenberg began his communications career more than 38 years ago as a cable splicer's assistant. His career has encompassed numerous operations and engineering assignments, including various leadership positions at AT&T and NYNEX. He has a long-standing commitment to education and is a strong proponent of connecting students and teachers to technology. He championed a special rate for schools and libraries to connect to the Internet. Mr. Seidenberg's activism to provide electronic access to young people led to his involvement with The New York Hall of Science and Pace University, on whose boards he serves. Mr. Seidenberg also champions diversity both within and outside the company. Under his leadership, the company has made great strides in increasing minority employment and initiated a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration to increase the company's purchasing from minority suppliers. Verizon's commitment to diversity has been widely recognized, with the company being cited by Fortune magazine in its list of "The 50 Best Companies for Minorities." Besides his directorships at The Hall of Science and Pace University, Mr. Seidenberg serves on the board of directors of Honeywell, the Museum of Television and Radio, the Verizon Foundation and Wyeth. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from City University of New York and a master's degree in business administration and marketing from Pace University. He and his wife, Phyllis, have two adult children and reside in New York.
John A. Byrne is the executive editor of BusinessWeek. In this role, Mr. Byrne serves as the day-to-day point of contact for the print publication, with responsibility to make the magazine indispensable by breaking more news, increasing high value news offerings, building a substantial investigative capability, and developing cover stories that can anchor offerings across all channels. Previously, Mr. Byrne was editor-in-chief of Fast Company magazine. He joined Fast Company in April 2003, succeeding founding editors Alan Webber and Bill Taylor, where he worked to reinvent the business magazine. Prior to joining Fast Company, he worked for BusinessWeek for nearly 18 years, most recently holding the position of Senior Writer and authoring a record 57 cover stories for the magazine. His articles have explored the fairness of executive pay, the folly of management fads, and the governance of major corporations. Mr. Byrne developed the idea of a monthly best-sellers list, launched the industry-leading business school rankings, established and managed the magazineÅfs ranking of the best and worst corporate boards, and created the list of the most generous philanthropists. Mr. Byrne is the author of eight books on business, leadership, and management. His latest book, published Sept. 11, 2001 by Warner Books, is Jack: Straight from the Gut, his highly anticipated collaboration with former General Electric Co. CEO Jack Welch. The book debuted at the very top of The New York Times bestseller list. Byrne has written or co-authored seven other books, including Chainsaw (HarperCollins, 1999), the behind-the-scenes story of Al DunlapÅfs rise and fall as a business celebrity. The book received widespread acclaim. Publishers Weekly called the book a "blistering saga" and a "sizzling tale." The Street.com said Chainsaw "should be required reading in all business and accounting schools." ByrneÅfs other books include: Informed Consent (McGraw-Hill, 1995); The Headhunters (MacMillan, 1986); Odyssey (Harper & Row, 1987), the business biography of former Apple Computer chairman John Sculley; and The Whiz Kids (Currency/Doubleday, 1993), which explored the life and times of ten Army Air Force officers who helped to remake the Ford Motor Co. in the post-war period. Managment guru Tom Peters called the book "an important milestone in American management analysis. Warren Bennis has said the book is "the best history of American business from World War II to the present." Byrne also wrote BusinessWeekÅfs Guide to the Best Business Schools (McGraw-Hill, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, and 1997) and co-wrote BusinessWeekÅfs Guide to the Best Executive Education Programs (McGraw-Hill, 1992). Mr. Byrne has a master's in journalism from the University of Missouri and an undergraduate degree in English and political science from William Paterson College.