Cingular Wireless Names Bob Puglielli Vice President and General Manag

RICHMOND, Va., March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless has named Bob Puglielli as vice president and general manager of Virginia and West Virginia, which is part of the company's Northeast Region. This announcement comes on the heels of a December 2004 announcement of the completion of a definitive agreement between Cingular Wireless and Triton PCS in which Cingular received Triton PCS's licenses, network assets and customers in Virginia.

Cingular Wireless, which completed its merger with AT&T Wireless last fall, is now the country's biggest wireless provider with more than 50 million customers and has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation. With the addition of the Virginia market, Cingular Wireless now serves all Top 100 markets in the country.

Puglielli, formerly Cingular's vice president and general manager for Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, will be based in Richmond. In his role as vice president and general manager, Puglielli will be responsible for overall operational, business and financial matters for Cingular's Virginia and West Virginia markets.

"Bob Puglielli has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the wireless industry, and I can think of no better person to manage this territory and lead its success in the future," said Steve Hodges, Northeast Region president of Cingular Wireless. "He will help make the important decisions and execute plans that deliver wireless innovation to consumers in this part of the country while leveraging the advantages of the new company."

Prior to his current position, Pugielli was vice president and general manager responsible for sales and operations in the Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Indianapolis metropolitan areas. With more than 17 years of experience in the wireless industry, he began his career with BellSouth Mobility in 1987. Since that time, he has held various sales, finance, operations, network and P&L management positions during his tenure, including vice president and general manager, Connecticut and general manager of sales, Atlanta.

Pugielli holds a Bachelor's degree in marketing and economics from the University of Texas - Arlington.

Puglielli will be supported in Virginia by a Richmond-based leadership team that includes George Cleveland, director of sales operations; Kristin Berg, marketing director; Eric Glymph, business operations director; Lori Wedge, human resources manager; Eleina Espigh, IT support; Rob Young, director of network operations; Russell Williams, sales director, Richmond and Roanoke, and Rick Anderson, sales director, Norfolk.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving more than 49 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corporation , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation and the largest mobile- to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://www.cingular.com/newsroom.