Release Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2001

TERRY THIRD THURSDAY ATLANTA SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTS VIRGINIA VANN, CHIEF OF MARKETING FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS

ATHENS, Ga. — Virginia Vann, senior vice president of marketing for Cingular Wireless, will be the featured speaker at the next Terry Third Thursday program in Atlanta on March 15.

Co-sponsored by Merrill Lynch and the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, the lecture series features prominent executives at a breakfast meeting on the third Thursday of the month. The programs are held from 7-9 a.m. at the UGA Alumni Club in the Atlanta Financial Center.

Vann directs Cingular's marketing strategy related to customer segmentation, brand development, advertising, service packages and offerings, new product development, market research and customer communications.

Cingular Wireless, with corporate headquarters in Atlanta, is the second largest wireless carrier in the United States. A joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, Cingular currently serves 20 million customers nationwide. The Cingular name unites 11 brands brought together through the joint venture.

Vann previously served as vice president of strategic marketing for SBC Wireless Inc. In that role, she had responsibility for strategic marketing initiatives that supported the company's seven wireless brands: Southwestern Bell Wireless, Pacific Bell Wireless, Nevada Bell Wireless, Ameritech Cellular, SNET Wireless, Cellular One and Radiofone.

She also served as president of SBC Long Distance. In that capacity, she had responsibility for SBC's long-distance operations in California, Nevada, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. She began her SBC career in St. Louis in 1989 as director of strategic marketing.

Vann received a journalism degree from UGA in 1975 and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Terry Third Thursday costs $30, including breakfast. Reservations are required. For more information go to www.terry.uga.edu/ttt or call 706-583-0397.

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