Diane McCarthy Named Chair of the Common Ground Alliance Board of Directors

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Diane McCarthy, Verizon network and technology senior vice president, has been named chair of the Common Ground Alliance board of directors.

McCarthy, whose appointment became effective in January, also represents the telecommunications stakeholder group on the alliance's board. Each director represents one of 16 alliance stakeholder categories.

The Common Ground Alliance is a member-driven association dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices; fostering a sense of shared responsibility for underground-facility protection; supporting research and conducting public awareness and education programs; identifying and disseminating best practices; and serving as a clearinghouse for damage data collection, analysis and dissemination.

In her role at Verizon, McCarthy leads a technical field operations team of approximately 14,000 employees who build and maintain one of the world's largest and most advanced networks that reaches customers located in more than 2,700 cities in more than 150 countries. McCarthy's operations team supports Verizon's global IP network that delivers solutions for wholesale and enterprise customers as well as Verizon's domestic fiber-to-the-premises network -- the power behind one of the nation's fastest, most reliable Internet service as well as TV service with unsurpassed picture quality.

Prior to her current role, McCarthy oversaw all wholesale and retail ordering, provisioning and repair for data and voice services.

She previously served as vice chair and treasurer for the CGA board. She was named 2009 Corporate Woman of the Year by Garden State (N.J.) Woman magazine in recognition of her leadership and commitment to community service. McCarthy also is a member of the advisory board for Rutgers Institute for Women's Leadership.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 98 million retail connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 183,400.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon