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AT&T donates $20 million to Texas Tech University in honor of Edward E. Whitacre Jr.

By Amarendra Bhushan for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:November 12, 2008

Texas Tech administrators today (Nov. 12) acknowledged gifts of $25 million from AT&T and friends of the company to the College of Engineering in honor of Edward E. Whitacre Jr., former Texas Tech regent and former chairman of the board and CEO of AT&T. Texas Tech officials also announced the college will be named the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering.

“America’s future competitiveness depends on the strength of our nation’s educational system,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and chief executive officer. “Ed Whitacre is a long-time and strong advocate for education at every level. I can’t think of a better way to recognize his leadership and support of education than by establishing a lasting legacy with the Whitacre College of Engineering at Texas Tech.”
Whitacre, a 1964 Texas Tech industrial engineering graduate, credits much of his success to the quality education he received at Texas Tech, and it is his dream that future students have the same opportunity.

Kent Hance, Texas Tech University System Chancellor and long-time friend of Whitacre, thanked AT&T for its gift and for the opportunity to honor the outstanding businessman and alumnus.

“Texas Tech University has no better friend or loyal supporter than Ed Whitacre,” said Hance. “AT&T’s gift will allow the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering to remain on the cutting edge of engineering education by positioning it to attract a diverse and quality student body, and to educate future college students about possible engineering careers.”

In 1985 Texas Tech named Whitacre a distinguished engineer of the College of Engineering. He was appointed to the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents in 1993, and was chairman from 1995-1998. In 1996, the Texas Tech Rawls College of Business honored him with the Outstanding Chief Executive Award.
Whitacre was instrumental in securing some of the largest gifts to Texas Tech, including contributions from the SBC Foundation to create endowed scholarships and endowed faculty positions at the university. At the request of then-Chancellor John T. Montford, he served as national campaign chairman for Texas Tech’s Horizon Fundraising Campaign from 1996 to 2001.

“I’ve had the unique opportunity to work for Mr. Whitacre as chancellor of Texas Tech and as a part of AT&T,” Montford said. “His drive and winning spirit embodies everything associated with this university and its world-class engineering program.”
A native of Ennis, Texas, Whitacre began his career at Southwestern Bell Telephone in Lubbock in 1963. He progressed through a series of assignments in the company’s operational departments in Texas, Arkansas and Kansas.

From 1982 to 1985, Whitacre headed Southwestern Bell’s Kansas Division, and then moved to corporate headquarters where he served as group president, vice president-revenues and public affairs, and vice chairman and chief financial officer. In October 1988, Whitacre was made president and chief operating officer, responsible for the company’s six primary subsidiaries. In 1990, Whitacre became chairman and CEO of SBC, which changed its name to AT&T in 2005 after SBC acquired AT&T Corp.

During Whitacre’s 1990-2007 tenure as chairman and chief executive officer, the company differentiated itself through diversification, a disciplined growth strategy and strategic mergers and acquisitions. Whitacre retired in 2007.

Edward Whitacre, Jr.

Edward E. “Ed” Whitacre, Jr. is a former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of AT&T Inc. He served as national president of the Boy Scouts of America from 1998-2000.

Whitacre began his career with Southwestern Bell in 1963 as a facility engineer. The following year, he graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering.

In October 1988, Whitacre was made president and chief operating officer of Regional Bell Operating Company, Southwestern Bell Corporation. Two years later, Whitacre became chairman of the board and chief executive officer. In 1995, Southwestern Bell Corporation changed its name to SBC Communications. Whitacre led SBC through a series of mergers and acquisitions in building the largest provider of both local long distance telephone services and wireless service (through its Cingular division) in the United States. These acquisitions included Pacific Telesis (1997), SNET (1998), Comcast Cellular (1999), Ameritech (1999) and AT&T (2005), from which the post-merger company took its name, as well as the 2006 acquisition of Bell South.

On June 23, 2006, he and the CEO of BellSouth were brought in under the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee following the AT&T-BellSouth merger. Most questions to Whitacre were regarding possible customer information leaks to the NSA.

On April 27, 2007, at the AT&T annual stockholders meeting, Ed announced his intent to retire as Chairman of the Board and chief executive officer at AT&T Inc., effective June 3. The Board of Directors elected Randall Stephenson to succeed Whiteacre as the new CEO and Chairman of the Board. On June 4th, 2007 Ed Whitacre retired with Randall Stephenson taking the helm the following morning (June 5th, 2007). Upon retirement, Whiteacre was eligible for a $158 million payout from AT&T.

BusinessWeek reported that, though the CEO of one of the largest and most influential names in telecommunications and its surrounding technology, Whitacre did not use email or have a computer in his office. It has also been reported that Whitacre offered Stephenson three words of advice via text message when the executive change was announced: “Give ‘em hell”.

It was announced June 2007 that AT&T’s San Antonio headquarters building will be named “Whitacre Tower” in recognition of Whitacre’s 44 years at the company, 17 of which were spent as chairman and CEO.

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