AT&T ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR CONNECTICUT Fairfield Resident John Emra Named AT&T Connecticut State President

New England President Patricia Jacobs and

Connecticut State President John Emra to Lead AT&T in State

HARTFORD, CONN., August 7, 2013 — AT&T* recently announced its new leadership team for Connecticut that includes Patricia Jacobs, President, AT&T New England and John Emra, President, AT&T Connecticut.  Ms. Jacobs has served in her current capacity since January of 2012, while Mr. Emra was recently named Connecticut state president, replacing former state president Rodney Smith who retired from the company earlier this summer.

In their roles, Ms. Jacobs and Mr. Emra will lead AT&T’s legislative, regulatory and community affairs activities in Connecticut. Representing AT&T’s interests across the state, they will work closely with community leaders, legislators and other policy makers, as well as local and regional business leaders and customers, to help meet AT&T’s objective of connecting people with technology everywhere they live and work.

“I’m thrilled to welcome John to his new leadership role as Connecticut state president,” stated Patricia Jacobs, President of AT&T New England.  “John has been an instrumental member of our Connecticut team for over a decade and his knowledge and experience will continue to help AT&T bring innovative new technology to our customers throughout the state.”

“I’m deeply honored for this opportunity to lead Connecticut’s great team of AT&T employees,” stated Emra.  “Working together with stakeholders throughout the state, I look forward to helping expand and enhance our wireless and wired broadband networks and continue to provide the services consumers want and businesses need.”

AT&T recently announced that it has invested more than $750 million in its Connecticut wireless and wireline networks from 2010 through 2012, with a focus on expanding 4G LTE** mobile Internet coverage and enhancing the overall performance of its network. And, as part of Project Velocity IP or VIP, AT&T is investing billions nationally in the next three years to expand its advanced wireless and wireline broadband networks and to support future IP data growth and new services.

Prior to becoming President of AT&T New England, Ms. Jacobs held numerous leadership positions at the company including Vice President for International Public Affairs and Regional Vice President for Federal Public Affairs.

Ms. Jacobs served as an aide to Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-MA) prior to joining AT&T, and as a member of the staff of the Massachusetts Senate’s Commerce and Labor Committee.  She holds a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Boston College.

Mr. Emra began his career at AT&T in September of 2001 and has worked since that time for the company as its regional vice president for external and legislative affairs in Connecticut.   Prior to joining AT&T, Mr. Emra was a consultant to the company in Washington, D.C. and worked specifically on national broadband policy development by the US Congress and Federal Communications Commission. 

He has worked in the field of politics for more than twenty years: as staff on the campaign of a member of Congress; staff to the Democratic majority in the Connecticut House of Representatives; a lobbyist with a regional business organization; a strategist with a national political consulting firm; and a media spokesperson in Connecticut and Washington, D.C. 

Mr. Emra serves on the Boards of CAPA Connecticut that manages the Shubert Theater, the Connecticut Technology Council, Gateway Community College Foundation and Connecticut Economic Research Council (CERC).  Mr. Emra served as Chairman of the Board of CERC from January 2006 to December 2010.  He is a 1992 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University where he earned a bachelors degree in political science. John and his wife, Susannah and children Jack and Caitlin live in Fairfield, Connecticut.