BellSouth names Forsee to head domestic operations

Nov 27, 2001 12:00 PM, Donny Jackson

BellSouth today announced it will revamp its organization at the beginning of the year by consolidating domestic operations under Vice Chairman Gary Forsee. The change will coincide with the retirements of two longtime company executives, Jere Drummond and Charlie Coe.

“We felt it was important to have all of the consumer-facing groups under one head,” said a BellSouth spokesman. “Under Gary will be all the consumer markets--long distance, Internet, broadband, small and big business, and consumer services. He’ll also have the advertising and publishing group [the Yellow Pages] and all network services.”

Currently president of BellSouth International, Forsee’s new role will require him to report to BellSouth Chairman and CEO Duane Ackerman. The international responsibilities will be assumed by Ralph de la Vega, who will become president of BellSouth’s Latin America operations after serving as president of broadband and Internet services, and Keith Cowan, the chief planning and development officer who will oversee European operations.

Richard Burns, currently network vice president for Georgia operations, will replace de la Vega as president of broadband and Internet services.

BellSouth’s new, flatter corporate structure will become effective as Drummond, a vice chairman who led BellSouth’s regulatory efforts, and Coe, the president of network services, retire after lengthy careers with the company. In his new role, Forsee will oversee both areas.

“There’s no reason not to do this [combine regulatory and network services under one roof],” the BellSouth spokesman said. “Regulatory is so important in dealing with the FCC and Congress. But no organizational structure is going to change what's already in place [concerning BellSouth’s 271 process].”

Forsee came to BellSouth after serving as CEO of Global One, the international joint venture of France Telecom, Deutche Telekom and Sprint that is now controlled entirely by France Telecom. Prior to that, he held several executive positions at Sprint, the last being president and COO of the long-distance division.

“Gary’s extensive industry experience and expertise will be invaluable as we turn our tradition of service excellence to the pursuit of new opportunities in the delivery of broadband and long distance services,” Ackerman said in a prepared statement.

With reporting by Glenn Bischoff in Chicago.