USTelecom Membership Selects 2007 Officers and Board of Directors

Business Wire, Dec 18, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Today, the membership of the United States Telecom Association (USTelecom) approved the association's Officers and Board of Directors for 2007. Members of the USTelecom Board are senior-level executives representing many of the most innovative communications and entertainment service providers.

"New technologies and evolving business opportunities are rapidly changing the telecom sector. In this environment, it is important for industry leaders to be able to work together through our trade association to advance our common goals," said Skip Frantz, Chairman of Windstream Corporation and Chairman of USTelecom's Board of Directors. "I am honored to serve as USTelecom's Chairman at this time of great opportunity for the industry."

Frantz just completed a one-year term as USTelecom's Chairman and will continue to serve as Chairman in 2007.

"The USTelecom Board brings together the leaders of the communications industry, and I look forward to working with this talented group of executives in the coming year on the challenges and opportunities for the industry," said USTelecom President & CEO Walter B. McCormick Jr.

The officers for the 2007 USTelecom Board of Directors are:
    Chairman:      Francis X. ("Skip") Frantz, Chairman, Windstream
    Vice Chairman: Ron B. McCue, Vice President, Silver Star
                   Communications
    Secretary:     James W. Cicconi, Senior Executive Vice President -
                   External and Legislative Affairs, AT&T
    Treasurer:     Albert H. Kramer, Senior Vice President,
                   Operations, D&E Communications

The following executives will join the officers on USTelecom's Board
for 2007:
    Michael R. Coltrane, Chairman, President and CEO, CT
    Communications
    Michael W. Conrad, President and General Manager, Champaign
    Telephone Company
    Robert Currey, President and CEO, Consolidated Communications
    Gary C. Gilmer, President, Southwest Texas Telephone Company
    Margaret H. Greene, President - Regulatory & External Affairs,
    BellSouth
    Daniel R. Hesse, Chairman and CEO, EMBARQ
    Robert A. Hunt, Vice President of Customer & Industry Relations,
    Guadalupe Valley Telephone Cooperative
    Jack W. Keen, President and General Manager, Lynch Interactive
    Steven C. Oldham, President and CEO, SureWest Communications
    Karen Puckett, President and COO, CenturyTel
    Michael S. Ruley, CEO, Hawaiian Telcom
    Thomas J. Tauke, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Policy
    & Communications, Verizon
    J. Stephen Vanderwoude, CEO, Madison River Communications
    Alan L. Wells, President and CEO, Iowa Telecom

About USTelecom

The United States Telecom Association, USTelecom, is the premier trade association representing service providers and suppliers for the telecom industry. USTelecom represents more than 1,000 companies offering a wide range of services across multiple communications platforms, including voice, video and data over local exchange, long distance, wireless, Internet and cable services.