Verizon Communications Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Dennis F. Strigl today informed the Board of Directors that he intends to retire from the company by the end of 2009, after 41 years in the communications industry.
MacDailyNews Note: Forget the 41 years, Denny’s the guy who’ll best be remembered for blowing the U.S. iPhone deal for Verizon.
Strigl is responsible for the operations of Verizon’s network-based businesses – Verizon Wireless, Verizon Telecom and Verizon Business — as well as Verizon Services Operations, which provides financial, real estate and other services to all of the company’s operations. He served as president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireles until assuming his current role in 2007.
Strigl said in the press release, “Verizon has become a world leader in communications innovation and operational excellence. I believe that we have the ability and the will to grow and take share from our competition, even in uncertain times. Because we have the right leadership team in place to continue our success in the marketplace, I believe that this is an appropriate time to announce my retirement.”
Verizon Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ivan G. Seidenberg called Strigl’s contributions to Verizon and the communications industry “legendary.” He said in the press release: “Denny has the innate ability to drive success by fostering innovative thinking, motivating his teams to put the customer first and inspiring growth. As a result, he has been a major force in the transformation of Verizon, positioning the company to lead in all of our strategic growth areas. His leadership at Verizon and his deep roots in the communications industry have created a tremendous legacy and a blueprint for us to follow. I look forward to working with him during the transition for the rest of 2009, and we wish him the best in whatever endeavor he chooses to succeed in next.”
Source: Verizon Communications Inc.
MacDailyNews Take: Fostering innovative thinking by failing to recognize the iPhone revolution and taking a pass on Apple’s paradigm-shifting device, instead consigning his firm to years of trying to dupe the ignorant with iPhone lookalikes and misleading marketing. That’s how Denny, the legendary preserver of the status quo of the omnipotent carrier, “put the customer first” at Verizon Wireless.
Strigl is only 62 years old; draw your own conclusions.
Look, its Moe, Larry and Shemp. Where’s Curly (Ballmer)? LOL
I’m so glad Apple entered into the cell phone market. I had a Motorola phone and Verizon as carrier, and while I don’t have any personal issues w/ Verizon, the features and functionality we enjoy now (w/ the iPhone) could never have come about in the old arrangement.
I hear ATT is throwing the retirement party for him.
I believe Verizon would have had a very hard time being selected by Apple as its “exclusive” US carrier (a requirement of Apple) due to its network being primarily CDMA as opposed to 3G. So I don’t think Verizon was ever really a serious option when the deal was being negotiated.
@clarkkent – bingo, he nailed it. that’s the true reason Verizon couldn’t snatch up the iPhone.
Jobs told Verizon that if they want to deal in the future, Denny has to go.
Therefore Denny is now gone.
MDN MW: “performs.” Let’s see how well Verizon Wireless’ network “performs” when you dump 10 million+ data-hungry iPhones on it.
It’s a real shame too, as I think Verizon network coverage and support are superior to AT&T;. Hopefully the future will give us more options, as it’s clear Apple is not impressed with AT&T;’s support and clear lack of customer focus.
Yeah, I’m sure Apple negotiated with Verizon. But I think they preferred to go with AT&T;because then they wouldn’t have to create a separate phone for use only in the USA.
Of course they may have to do that to go to China, but you can see how hard Apple is fighting it and the rewards of working with the Chinese are immense.
One thing that can’t be doubted. Somebody – maybe several somebody’s – at Apple are very good negotiators.
Get out while you can still claim success and leave the mess for the next guy. That’s the American CEO strategy to wealth and fame – if you can get away with it.
Isn’t AT&T;losing a boat load of money by subsidising the Iphone?
This guy must be immune to the Jobs Reality Distortion Field TM.
Denny will be remembered as the guy that saved Verizon’s network from being obliterated by the cable companies when he initiated FiOS. The iPhone debacle is embarrassing but it didn’t damage Verizon directly; it simply kept a competitor afloat.
I agree with @clarkkent — as long as Verizon was on CDMA, they were only a backup option. I suspect Apple’s terms were even harsher for Verizon than AT&T;because of the extra effort it would require to launch a CDMA phone then design a separate GSM phone for the rest of the world.
clarkkent has it right on – Apple would NEVER have gone with a CDMA phone carrier. Ever. MDN can try and spin this as they do anything that doesn’t sing the praises of all things Apple, but it just falls flat. Now that Verizon is finally coming into line with technology compatible with the rest of the world, notice how all of a sudden all the unhappiness murmur about AT&T;as a carrier is surfacing. The moment Verizon is ready, iPhones will be available through them, no matter who is running Verizon.
Verizon FIOS saved my household from Comcast hell. Still hoping for an iPhone deal.
Here we go again:
A: “Verizon is better!”
B: “No, it’s not!”
A: “I had better coverage with verizon”
B: “I didn’t – I hated their phones”
blah blah
couldn’t tell Amy of these jackasses apart if you blind folded them and put them through a blind test with the same model even.
Actually, if Apple approached Verizon, which by all reports they did, then it stands to reason that it was early enough in the development of the iPhone that they would have put a CDMA radio in the iPhone, rather than GSM.
Yo! Frigtard! Have you not kept up with articles about AT&T;Mobile’s earnings? It’s the iPhone that has been the bulk of their revenue and profits, you idiot.
Chowderheads like that asstroturfer make my head hurt.
Why not with cdma? In my opinion, it’s better in the US than gsm. When verizon changes to gsm, it will have to double the amount of towers since it doesn’t go as far and penetration of walls is poor. Also, with at&t;changing frequencies for the next generation, a new radio section will have to be developed. So they need to redo everything too. So what is the difference anyway? gsm is not the end all, be all everyone thinks, it’s just the most common.
I guess that means windows is the best, vhs is the best …. etc.
I once thought it be a no-brainer to drop AT&T;for verizon once apple makes the jump (or straddle). But as it stands now, I appear to be in an AT&T;geographical sweet spot in downtown DC during the day and here in Maryland, just south east of D.C. at home.
it’s either four bars or no bars. only place I get no bars is in the subway system.
dc is blackberry central, you know, government…
“hey dad, what’s that crappy locked-down, featureless, close -ended, unsexy, paperweight on your belt?”. “Well son, that’s a government issued blackberry”
So once all the AT&T;haters jump ship—well, I’ll have all that extry bandwidth to myself!!! VERIZON! VERIZON! VERIZON!
@@ronin
Releasing a CDMA iPhone would limit Apple to a fraction of the worldwide market, either severely limiting the growth potential of the phone or forcing apple to come out with a second phone, or a dual mode phone.
I’m really surprised that his shareholders let him stick around this long. They should have canned him the day the iPhone hit the streets.
-jcr
why would they stop doing the gsm? It’s not all or nothing. I hate to assume, but if apple really did ask verizon in the beginning, do it mean they would never have released a phone for europe (since they lean toward gsm)? No, they would make 2 different one. and I would be shocked if they didn’t. As an rf guy, we crave it. All we think is how many radios can we combine and make everything play nice.
I think I saw this movie…”The Man Who Blew Too Much”, about the head of a corporate family who’s adopted child, Hiphfghone, was kidnapped by ruthless corporate raiders looking to keep him in line with the evil Dr. Softpalms.
It all happened in a cultural desert known as “Dallas”, where the profagonist was lured by promises of high quarterly earnings and free Cowboy tickets……
Directed by: Alfred Itchcock
Starring: George Michael as “The Sucker”
and Doris Daily as “The Useless Woman”
Filmed in Panned-Vision
Un-original soundtrack available as a download though our exclusive agreement to charge for extra bandwidth, minutes, and three time the rate for everysong, because, hell, you’ve got no choice…..
“couldn’t tell Amy of these jackasses apart if you blind folded them and put them through a blind test with the same model even.”
But we can tell which one is you. Nice job.
sorry, my-dumb
that was supposed to be Borus Daily
Strigl’s contributions to Verizon and the communications industry “legendary.”
Yeah, and on a leg-end, there’s a foot, and it’s in his mouth.