With his significant contributions, the telecommunications company has achieved growth and success. He was instrumental in the expansion of the company through mergers and acquisitions, which include GTE, Bell Atlantic and NYNEX, and MCI. He also played an important role in creating Verizon Wireless, a component that was formed in 1999 through the combination of assets of GET Wireless, Bell Atlantic Mobile and Vodafone AirTouch’s US properties.

Ever since the establishment of Verizon, Ivan Seidenberg has shepherded this rapidly growing company. He first worked as co-CEO in 2000, then as sole CEO by 2002. He was given an additional role in 2004 when he became chairman of the board.

Before he was chosen as Verizon’s leader, Ivan Seidenberg was the chairman and CEO of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX. His career in communications began when he worked as a cable splicer’s assistant. Forty years later, he who was once mere assistant has become the leader of one of the largest broadband and telecommunications companies in the US.

As a Fortune 10 company, Verizon recognizes the magnitude of its responsibility to the community and is committed to contributing to these communities by supporting organizations as well as establishing foundations that will uplift peoples’ lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives, it seeks to make a positive impact on the lives of communities.

In 2008 alone, through Verizon Foundation, it donated to over 2,400 nonprofit organizations in New York amounting to 13.5 million. This corporate giving benefited several nonprofit organizations focused on advocacy work on victims of domestic violence and for educating underperforming and underprivileged children.

Among these recipient organizations are those that help female victims of domestic violence, women on parole, and other troubled women cope and rebuild their lives. These include the New York Women’s Foundation and the Greenhope Services for Women.

Verizon also gave to several children-focused advocacy groups such the YMCA of Greater New York which launches after-school literacy program and communications skills training for pre-school and grade-level students and the Child Center of New York, which enhances literacy through computer-based reading and ESL for immigrant and learning-disabled children.

Literacy and education is a development thrust for Verizon Foundation, supporting endeavors that seek to promote literacy among the underprivileged American children, especially found among the immigrant population. Through its collaboration with nonprofits such as Junior Achievement of Western New York and the Literacy Volunteers of America, it has provided literacy, job skills training, health care and community resource information.

Verizon also lends its aid to public education. Perhaps its most popular philanthropic educational initiative is its free educational website Thinkfinity.org, which advances literacy and K-12 education, and also provides educators with various links to educational teaching materials and assessment tools.

For its significant philanthropic contributions, it was awarded the Philanthropy in Public Education Award by the NEA Foundation in acknowledgment of the company’s support to public education, literacy and student achievement.

Due to its belief in corporate social responsibility, philanthropy is a company effort at Verizon, where volunteerism is encouraged and appreciated. Its employee volunteer program, Verizon Volunteers, is one of the nation’s largest, and has contributed more than 3 million hours of voluntary community work since 2000.