CLEC-People  - January 10, 2002

Global Crossing Ltd. (NYSE:GX) announced the appointment of Ted Higase as executive vice president of carrier sales. Effective immediately, Higase will oversee all sales and marketing activities relating to the communications company's carrier customers. Higase previously served as president of carrier services at Asia Global Crossing (NYSE:AX), where he was responsible for corporate-wide sales and marketing, as well as for product management for the company's wholesale customer segment, including carriers and service providers. Higase helped win many large global and regional capacity customers for Asia Global Crossing. He also launched the world's fastest trans-Pacific backbone network supporting wholesale IP transit sales, and expanded the company's footprint across the Asia Pacific region. Before joining Asia Global Crossing in 2000, Higase was corporate director and general manager of the preferred accounts division at Dell Computer Corporation in Japan. From 1990 to 1998, Mr. Higase enjoyed a successful career at AT&T, where he was one of the company's youngest division managers. Mr. Higase holds an MBA from Drake University and a bachelor's degree in international relations from the University of California, Davis. He also completed the Executive Development Program at Wharton Business School. Higase replaces Patrick Joggerst, who is leaving Global Crossing to pursue other opportunities.

Convergent Networks, Inc., a provider of broadband voice infrastructure solutions, announced the appointment of Surya Panditi to the position of president and chief executive officer. With nearly 20 years' experience in the communications industry, Panditi will lead Convergent Networks through the company's next stage of expansion as it accelerates the deployment of its next-generation voice technology to the global market. Panditi succeeds John C. Thibault, who will remain chairman of the company's board of directors. As chairman and former president and chief executive officer of Avici Systems, Panditi's track record included driving Avici's growth and development from its startup stage through a successful initial public offering in 2000. Under Panditi's direction from 1997 to 2001, Avici built and deployed the world's first scalable router in use by major carriers worldwide. Panditi will continue as chairman of Avici's board of directors. Prior to Avici Systems, Panditi was vice president and general manager of the LAN Infrastructure business unit at US Robotics, where he was responsible for development, worldwide management and marketing of the Ethernet and ATM switching business. His earlier experience includes positions with Intel Corporation, Ungermann-Bass and Telco Systems. Panditi holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Convergent Networks also announced the addition of Mike Dagenais, a former Lucent Technologies executive, as vice president of engineering. This appointment allows Bing Yang to focus on his duties as chief technology officer, a position he has held in addition to vice president of engineering since he founded the company in 1998. Dagenais has 25 years' experience leading the engineering and deployment of telephony, optical and data networking products for Lucent Technologies and Nortel Networks. Most recently, Dagenais was vice president and general manager of Lucent Technologies INS (InterNetworking Systems) Core Switching Division. In this role, he had P&L responsibility and managed the division's engineering, product and business development, business operations and administrative functions. Dagenais began his engineering career at Bell Northern Research, the research and development subsidiary of what is now Nortel Networks. Dagenais holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering and an M.S. degree in communications systems from Carleton University.

Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) Chairman and CEO Joseph P. Nacchio has been named to head the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Network Reliability and Interoperability Council (NRIC). The appointment was announced by FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell.
In addition to his role as chairman of the NRIC, Nacchio is vice chairman of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), a select group of industry executives that provides advice on security and emergency preparedness issues to President George W. Bush. Nacchio is scheduled to become chairman of NSTAC later this year. The leadership roles for the government will not distract Nacchio from running Qwest. The NRIC was established in 1992 to bring together leaders of the telecommunications industry and telecommunications experts from academic, consumer and other organizations to explore and recommend measures that will enhance network reliability. The original membership came from the telephone industry, but has been expanded over the years to include the cable, wireless and satellite industries.

Electric Lightwave, Inc. announced that Daniel McCarthy has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of the company, effective Jan. 1, 2002. McCarthy succeeds Robert Braden who was promoted to chief executive officer of Electric Lightwave (replacing Rudy Graf, who remains a member of Electric Lightwave's Board of Directors) as well as executive vice president of Citizens Communications' ILEC operations, responsible for the Rochester, N.Y., region. McCarthy reports to Braden. McCarthy has been with Citizens since 1990, when he joined the company's Kauai, Hawaii electric division. In 1995 he moved to Flagstaff, Arizona and assumed responsibility for Citizens' energy operations. In 2001 he was promoted to president and chief operating officer of Citizens Public Services sector, responsible for the company's energy and water operations. He earned a Bachelor in Marine Engineering from the N.Y. Maritime College in Fort Schuyler, N.Y., holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, has an engineering license from the U.S. Coast Guard and is an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve.