Citizens Communications Appoints New Chairman and President; Maggie Wilderotter Appointed Chairman and CEO; Jerry Elliott Appointed President; Other Senior Management Promotions Announced.

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Citizens Communications Company (NYSE: CZN) today announced that at its regularly-scheduled meeting last week, the Board of Directors appointed Maggie Wilderotter Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Jerry Elliott, President.

Most recently, Ms. Wilderotter, who joined the company on Nov. 1, 2004, was President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining Citizens, Ms. Wilderotter was Senior Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector for Microsoft Corp., responsible for its government and education markets globally. Before that, she was Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business Strategy, responsible for the company's overall business roadmap and its emerging markets strategy.

Prior to Microsoft, Wilderotter was President and Chief Executive Officer of Wink Communications, a publicly-traded provider of an end-to-end system for low-cost electronic commerce on television. Earlier, Wilderotter was Executive Vice President-National Operations for AT&T Wireless and, before that, President-Western Region for McCaw Cellular.

Wilderotter began her career in the Cable Television Industry with U.S. Computer Services, Inc./Cable Data, where she spent 12 years in positions of increasing responsibility, including Senior Vice President and General Manager- CableData, United States, Canada and Europe.

Wilderotter is a member of the board of directors of Quantum Corp. and McClatchy Corp. and a number of non-profit organizations. She earned a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration from the College of the Holy Cross, where she serves on the Board of Trustees.

Also at its December meeting, the Board appointed Jerry Elliott President of Citizens Communications Company, reporting to Ms. Wilderotter. Prior to this, Mr. Elliott was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the company and was responsible for the company's operations in Rochester, N.Y. He will continue as Acting Chief Financial Officer pending the appointment of a successor.

Before joining Citizens, Mr. Elliott was managing director of Morgan Stanley's Communications (media and telecom) Investment Banking Group. In this position he led all aspects of client coverage, including mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity transactions.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 1998, Mr. Elliott was a partner with the law firm of Shearman & Sterling where he focused on equity and debt financings, specializing in media, communications, high-yield and private equity. In addition, he was a member of the Securities Law Committee of leading New York law firms.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Elliott was an attorney with the Dallas law firm of Locke Purnell and an accountant at Arthur Andersen. He received B.B.A. and J.D. degrees from Baylor University, where he was the editor-in-chief of the Baylor Law Review, and an LL.M in Taxation from New York University, where he was editor of the Tax Law Review.

The Board of Directors also appointed Daniel J. McCarthy Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the company. Before this, he was Senior Vice President, Field Operations, President of Electric Lightwave, LLC. and responsible for Regulatory Affairs.

Mr. McCarthy has been with Citizens Communications since 1990, when he joined the company's Kauai, Hawaii electric division. In 1995 he moved to Flagstaff, Arizona and assumed responsibility for Citizens' energy operations. In 2001 he was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer of Citizens Public Services sector, responsible for the company's energy and water operations.

He earned a Bachelor in Marine Engineering from the N.Y. Maritime College in Fort Schuyler, N.Y. and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

The Board of Directors also promoted Pete Hayes to Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development. Mr. Hayes joined the company on Feb. 1, 2005, as Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development.

Before joining Citizens, Mr. Hayes was Microsoft's Vice President, Public Sector, Europe, Middle East and Africa, leading sales, services, marketing, programs, government relations and technical teams. Prior to that, he was General Manager, Microsoft US Government, Washington, DC, responsible for Microsoft's US federal and state and local customers.

Prior to joining Microsoft in 1991, Mr. Hayes worked for IBM for 12 years, holding various sales, technical and management positions. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Finance from the University of South Alabama.

About Citizens Communications

Citizens Communications Company (NYSE: CZN) is a communications services provider offering telephone, television and Internet products in 23 states under the Frontier brand name.