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K.C. Neel
The ink is barely dry on the AT&T Broadband/MediaOne merger, and already six top executives in MediaOne's Atlanta office hit the skids. The migration is just beginning, according to company officials.
"We're going to see a fair amount of change in several of our markets," says AT&T spokesman Rob Stoddard.
For one thing, AT&T is reorganizing its field structure into 2 major markets. In some cases the regional or divisional office will be modified to reflect the addition of the MediaOne properties. This means some jobs are in jeopardy.
In Atlanta, Steve White, who has been running AT&T's Chicago division, is replacing VP Ellen Filipiak. No one has been named to replace him in the Windy City yet. Other executives exiting the building in Atlanta include Jon Ozor, VP-GM of MediaOne's cable advertising unit; Dennis Lopach, VP-legal affairs; Marwan Fawaz, VP-engineering; and Ron Johnson, VP-business markets.
AT&T also is replacing Kevin Casey, who had run the MediaOne properties around Boston, with former Morgan Stanley executive David Grain, according to Stoddard.
"David has had a long relationship with (AT&T Broadband CEO) Dan Somers," Stoddard says. "He'll be accountable for 2 million customers when the Cablevision Systems deal is complete later this year, and he'll also oversee the operations in Hartford, Conn."
Ironically, the corporate level exodus has been more aimed at former Tele-Communications Inc. executives brought into the company under former CEO Leo Hindery. Upon his departure and the entrance of Somers, several TCI executives have taken a hike, and several MediaOne executives that many watchers thought would be looking for jobs following the merger are ensconced at AT&T Broadband's headquarters now.
In many cases, MediaOne executives are taking advantage of extremely attractive severance packages, sources close to the company say. "A lot of people are going to come away with a lot of money by leaving," one source says. "It made more sense for some of them to leave than to stay."
AT&T also expects to have a significant amount of geographical movement at the system and regional level in the coming weeks and months.
"This isn't really a reduction in staff," Stoddard says. "It's really just a reallocation of staff in our major markets."
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