Yellow Pages Publishers Association Appoints Verizon's Katherine J. Harless Chairperson; Harless Becomes the Association's First-Ever Female Chairperson.

Business Editors

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2001

The Yellow Pages Publishers Association (YPPA), representing the $25 billion international Yellow Pages industry, today announced that Katherine J. Harless will serve as the association's chairperson.

Ms. Harless is president of Verizon's Information Services, a member of YPPA, as well as one of the world's leading directory publishers and creator of SuperPages.com.

"Kathy's experience, her understanding of the potential for the integration of print and online products and her vision for our future are crucial to our growth," said John Greco, president and CEO of YPPA. "Over the next year, we look to Kathy to take YPPA to the next level as we move forward to provide our members with more value-added services and potential revenue generating ideas."

In her new role, Ms. Harless plans to make YPPA an even stronger advocate on behalf of its members through its public policy initiatives; industry research studies; and its commitment to providing members the tools they need to grow their business.

"My main focus will be member education and revenue growth through dynamic sales programs. The Yellow Pages is a $25 billion global industry, and I want to see that number increase," said Harless. "To ensure that member companies recognize YPPA as the global Yellow Pages industry information resource, we will continue to offer services that enable all members, regardless of size, to improve the way they do business. I believe this will encourage national advertisers to continue to make the Yellow Pages part of their comprehensive ad campaigns, delivering measurable results."

Harless has been president of Verizon Information Services since July 2000. She began her career in telecommunications at GTE in 1973. By 1994, she was the GTE regional president of telephone operations in Texas and New Mexico. Two years later, Harless became president of GTE Airfone where she directed overall operations, including the expansion of air-to-ground public telecommunications services in the United States and other countries.

In addition to serving on YPPA, Harless serves on the boards of the Toro Company, the University of Texas Business School and the Verizon Foundation. She is a member of the Committee of 200, a professional organization of preeminent business women, and is also a member of Leadership America, a non-profit educational organization that seeks to place talented women in decision-making positions in the public and private sectors.

Harless' appointment coincides with the addition of other experienced industry veterans that further strengthens the board. Other members of the Board of Directors include Vice Chair Elmer Smith, president of the Advertising & Publishing Group at BellSouth Corporation; Secretary and Treasurer George Burnett, president & CEO of Qwest Dex; Dennis Payne, president & CEO of SBC Directory Operations; Marc Tellier, president & CEO of Bell ActiMedia; Herb Gordon, president & CEO of the Association of Directory Marketing; and Charles Stern of the law firm Katten, Muchin & Zavis.

About YPPA

Founded in 1988, the Yellow Pages Publishers Association (YPPA) has been instrumental in leading, serving and growing a more than $25 billion global print and electronic industry. YPPA members include Yellow Pages publishers, who produce more than 95 percent of all Yellow Pages directories and account for 98 percent of revenues generated in North America, the industry's sales force known as certified marketing representatives and suppliers.

For more information, please visit www.yppa.org or call 908/286-2380.

About Verizon Information Services and SuperPages.com

Verizon Information Services is one of the world's leading print and online directory publishers and a content provider for communications products and services. Verizon has annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion and publishes nearly 1,200 U.S. Verizon SuperPages directories and 400 international directories with a total circulation of approximately 142 million copies worldwide. Verizon Information Services also produces and markets SuperPages.com, one of the Internet's preeminent online directory and shopping resource. SuperPages.com receives as many as 9.7 million visits and completes as many as 37.8 million searches per month.

Based in the Dallas area, Verizon Information Services is a unit of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), one of the world's leading providers of communications services.

Through its signature Verizon Reads program and the Verizon Literacy Network, Verizon is committed to leading the fight to increase U.S. literacy levels by creating community and corporate awareness, raising funds, encouraging collaboration among literacy providers and engaging employees in supporting literacy programs. Verizon Information Services supports community outreach programs across the nation designed to increase the literacy rate of children and adults, and to help people of all ages become computer literate.

For more information on Verizon Information Services, visit www.verizonyellowpages.com. For more information on Verizon's literacy programs, visit www.SuperPages.com and click on the Verizon Reads icon.