Peter Thonis, chief communications officer for telecom giant Verizon, will retire in July after more than eight years in the top post.
Thonis was VP of external communications for GTE in 2000 when the company merged with Bell Atlantic to create Verizon. He joined GTE when he was VP/comms. for BBN, which was acquired by GTE in 1997.
Bob Varettoni, executive director of corporate communications for Verizon, told O'Dwyer's that Thonis' replacement would be announced at a later date.
Verizon was thrust to the center of controversy this week after the Guardian reported on a National Security Agency surveillance program collecting phone records of Americans from the company.
Ed McFadden, VP for policy communications at Verizon in Washington, has declined to comment on the Guardian report.
Thonis was previously with IBM over 14 years in several posts, including as director of worldwide PR for its PC business.
Business leaders will face challenges in the upcoming year, some of which will come as a complete surprise, or beyond anyone's imagination.
Teneo has hired Philipp Grontzki, who is a 20-year veteran of corporate communications and financial journalism, as a managing director in its strategy and communications group.
Rowan Benecke, who co-founded Zeno Group and helmed Burson-Marsteller's tech practice, has joined McKinsey & Co as director of communications for North America.
BCW has named Golin's Matt Coldagelli EVP and leader of its corporate affairs practice in Chicago.
Abby Bailey, who headed corporate communications for Fedex in its Middle East, India and Africa region, has joined Teneo as managing director in Dubai.
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