Mark Leslie to Lead External Affairs for AT&T in San Diego and Surrounding Areas

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T Inc. today announced the appointment of Mark Leslie as vice president of external affairs for AT&T in San Diego. In this new role, Leslie will support a team of AT&T professionals serving San Diego, Riverside, and Orange and Imperial Counties. Leslie will head the company's local, city and county government and community affairs activities. His team will serve as the face of the company in the community coordinating local government and philanthropic initiatives.

"With more than three decades of work in the telecommunications industry and his San Diego roots, Mark is the perfect choice to lead our external affairs efforts in San Diego," said Dave Nichols, senior vice president, external affairs, for AT&T in Southern California. "Mark brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role."

Leslie served in a variety of capacities with the former Pacific Bell and Southern New England Telephone, including positions in sales, finance, marketing and external affairs. He also has the distinction of being one of the first male operators for Pacific Bell when he joined the company in 1972. In his most recent role with SBC-West, based in San Ramon, Calif., Leslie worked with a team of SBC professionals serving the State of California's communications needs. He was also the Vice Chairman of the SBC-California State PAC.

As someone who has spent the majority of his life in San Diego, Leslie is looking forward to returning home. "Being from San Diego has always been a point of pride and I'm looking forward to becoming involved in the community again," he said. "AT&T is ready to bring a new era of communications -- a new digital lifestyle -- to our customers and I'm excited about sharing details with all our key constituents in San Diego."

Leslie has served on a number of boards, including the Orange County United Way, Connecticut United Way, Economic Development Organizations of New Haven & Hartford, and the Orange County & Orangewood Children's Foundation.

About the New AT&T

AT&T Inc. is one of the world's largest telecommunications holding companies and is the largest in the United States. Operating globally under the AT&T brand, AT&T companies are recognized as the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to business and as leading U.S. providers of high-speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. AT&T Inc. holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which is the No. 1 U.S. wireless services provider with more than 52 million wireless customers. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and AT&T products and services is available at http://www.thenewatt.com/ .

Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand.

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