Ralph de la Vega, President and CEO-AT&T; Mobility and Consumer Markets, was named to his current role in October 2008. Today, he leads all consumer marketing, sales, content, converged services and customer care for the company's wireless and wired businesses. Previously, he served as President and CEO-AT&T; Mobility where he was responsible for AT&T;'s wireless business since October 2007. Prior to that, he served as group president-Regional Telecommunications and Entertainment, with responsibility for overall leadership in AT&T;'s regional wired business, including consumer and regional business sales and network. He was appointed to that post in January 2007, after the close of the AT&T-BellSouth; merger, which consolidated ownership of Cingular. From 2004-2006, de la Vega served as chief operating officer of Cingular Wireless, with responsibility for technology planning, network operations, marketing, sales and customer care. Before joining Cingular in January 2004, he served as president-BellSouth Latin America, with overall responsibility for BellSouth's operations in 11 countries: Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Nicaragua, Brazil and Guatemala. He also has served as BellSouth's president of Broadband and Internet Services. In this position, he had overall responsibility for the deployment, marketing and operations of broadband services. In addition, he had responsibility for BellSouth Internet Services and BellSouth's rapidly growing data support groups. Mr. de la Vega started his career in 1974 with BellSouth (then Southern Bell) as a management assistant. He has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in Network Planning, Consumer Services, Engineering and Operations — including a rotational assignment at Telcordia (Bellcore) — and was responsible for all BellSouth Telecommunications Network Operations in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Mr. de la Vega's involvement with the industry is significant. He served as the 2010 Chairman of CTIA -- The Wireless Association, which is the leading wireless industry trade group in the United States, an organization he continues to serve as Chairman Emeritus. Mr. de la Vega also is extensively involved in nonprofit and community organizations. He is the chairman of Junior Achievement Worldwide and the chairman of Hispanic initiatives for the Boy Scouts of America, and serves on the board of the Georgia Research Alliance. He recently was inducted into the Hispanic Scholarship Fund's prestigious Alumni Hall of Fame which honors select Hispanics for their personal achievements, contributions and service to America. Mr. de la Vega serves on the board of directors of New York Life Insurance Company, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber. A native of Cuba, he holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Florida Atlantic University and a master's degree in business administration from Northern Illinois University, and he has completed the Executive Program at the University of Virginia. He is also the author of Obstacles Welcome: Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and Life (Thomas Nelson, 2009).

• published: 19 Mar 2012
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