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Tag: AT&T

Federal Contractors | Technology 2023: JILL SINGER

Singer has been leading the telecommunications company’s business activities for the Department of Defense and the U.S. intelligence community since 2020. She oversees efforts to bring 5G connectivity to a broad swath of uses from helping first responders communicate during disasters to enabling U.S. Air and Space forces to adopt autonomous vehicles and robots.

Recently, the company captured the public’s attention with network-connected robotic dogs that can navigate unstructured terrain where wheeled or tracked devices are unable to go.

Singer joined AT&T in 2015, after holding information technology leadership roles across government and industry, including at the CIA and State Department. She serves on the boards of Eutelsat America Corp. and the University of West Florida, from which she has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in systems analysis.

TRAIT(S) I ADMIRE: Honesty and candor.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Be as candid as you can with your team. It makes everyone feel better to know, even if the news is not so good.

SOMETHING I’D NEVER DO AGAIN: Jump off a bridge into a channel that most likely had nefarious sea creatures in it

Telecommunications 2023: VINCE APRUZZESE JR.

AT&T Virginia’s president since 2010, Apruzzese took on the additional role of president of external affairs for Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C., in April. His expanded duties include leading the company’s public policy, legislative and philanthropic activities in the three states and D.C.

In a post for the AT&T Connects website, Apruzzese noted that the company invested more than $675 million in network infrastructure in Virginia from 2020 to 2022, including expanding its 5G network and supporting its FirstNet network for public safety agencies.

Apruzzese has spent his entire corporate career with AT&T. In more than three decades with the telecommunications giant, he has served in posts including external and legislative affairs and international corporate security and was based
in London as a regional security manager for three years.

Apruzzese serves on boards for the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and nonprofit Jobs for Virginia Graduates. He graduated from Georgia State University, where he was active in ROTC, and served 10 years as an Army Reserve and National Guard commissioned officer.

FIRST JOB: Delivering The Sentinel newspaper in Carlisle, Pennsylvania

TRAIT(S) I ADMIRE: Integrity

AT&T Virginia president adds Maryland, Delaware, D.C. to duties

AT&T Virginia President Vince Apruzzese Jr. will add the role of president of external affairs for Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C., to his duties, the company announced Wednesday.

Apruzzese has served as AT&T’s Virginia president since 2010. In his expanded role, Apruzzese, who’s based in Richmond, will lead AT&T’s legislative, public policy and philanthropic initiatives in the three additional jurisdictions and work with elected and appointed officials on public policy issues, and with business, community and civic leaders to support important local initiatives.

He replaces Denis Dunn, who retired in April.

Apruzzeese has been with the telecommunications giant for more than three decades, first starting in accounts payable, then working in corporate security and working his way up to regulatory and external affairs.

“Vince has a strong record of success working in external and legislative affairs roles over many years in Virginia and Illinois,” John Emra, president of AT&T Atlantic Region, said in a statement. “The region he and his team covers is an important one for the company, and I know he will build upon a strong foundation and network to make an immediate impact for our company, and the customers and communities we serve.”

 

AT&T wins $182M contract with USAID

Oakton-based AT&T Public Sector and its FirstNet public safety wireless communications platform won a 10-year, $182 million task order from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), if all options are exercised, the company announced Tuesday.

The agreement was awarded via the General Service Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract. USAID leads the government’s international development and disaster assistance around the world.

AT&T will provide wireline voice and data services to USAID domestic locations. The company will consolidate USAID’s disparate networks onto the AT&T global IP voice network and provide mission-critical connectivity in support of an additional 90 USAID international locations.

Work is currently underway and the transition is expected to be completed in early 2023.

AT&T and NOVA launch IT apprenticeship program

AT&T has created an IT apprenticeship program with Northern Virginia Community College and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, the company announced Tuesday.

The two-year program will offer students information technology training and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training in technical, soft skills, lab work and related skills. They will earn five industry certifications in A+, Network+, Security+, CCNA and ITIL.

Those selected will work as part-time AT&T employees and train at NOVA’s Reston complex and AT&T’s Oakton facility.

“Identifying and hiring qualified information technology talent continues to be a challenge for federal agencies,” said Jill Singer, vice president-defense and national security for AT&T’s public sector and FirstNet, in a statement. “In particular, national security agencies face challenges such as high-level security clearances and a need for specific IT skill sets, which can make it even harder for them to grow their talent base.”

Those who complete the training and are approved for federal government security clearance are expected to be hired by AT&T as full-time employees.

Applications are being accepted from Aug. 26 to Sept. 23. Students will be selected by late October and training will begin in January.

“Information technology jobs in our region are projected to grow, on average, 1.5% each year over the next decade — three times the regional average for all jobs — and we currently have more information technology jobs open in Northern Virginia than people qualified to fill these critical roles,” said Steven Partridge, vice present of strategy, research and workforce innovation for NOVA, in a statement. “Building the IT talent pipeline for the Northern Virginia region is crucial and NOVA is proud to partner with AT&T to provide an innovative opportunity for our current and former students to launch their IT careers.” 

 

AT&T wins $725M task order from Veterans Affairs

AT&T’s Oakton-based Public Sector organization secured a $725 million, 12-year task order to modernize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ data network, the company will announce Wednesday.

The contract is to deliver a modernized data communications platform that will serve as a foundation for innovative Veterans Affairs (VA) technology capabilities, according to the announcement. The task order falls under the General Services Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract for federal agencies. AT&T’s Public Sector has won nearly three dozen such awards, the company says.

The VA’s network is used to help manage the country’s largest integrated health care system, serving 9 million enrolled veterans annually at 1,255 health care facilities.

“It is a special honor to win the opportunity to help VA modernize its mission in the service of our many heroes,” said Chris Smith, vice president of Civilian and Shared Services, AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet, in a statement.

AT&T says it will work with the VA on such capabilities as wide area networking, virtual private networking and managed network services. Work includes making health care records digitally accessible in near real time, replacing paper records.

AT&T Public Sector wins $175M transportation contract

AT&T Inc. announced Tuesday it has been awarded a $175 million contract from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to modernize its voice and data networks. AT&T’s Public Sector organization, which is based in Oakton, landed the deal.

The 12-year contract was awarded through the General Service Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions technology procurement program. Dallas-based AT&T will modernize network services supporting approximately 55,000 DOT workers.

AT&T plans to deliver an IP-based communications platform which will provide the DOT with secure cloud technology that will support the agency’s increased demand for employees to be able to work remotely and will allow the agency to create IP-based apps.

“DOT’s vital mission to deliver the safest, most efficient and modern transportation system in the world requires a reliable, fast and highly secure communications platform,” Chris Smith, vice president of civilian and shared services for AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet, said in a statement. “We’re honored to have this opportunity to transform and modernize DOT’s voice network.”

Well acquainted with working with the federal sector, AT&T announced in March it had won a $231 million contract from the U.S. Department of Treasury to modernize its voice and data networks.

AT&T inks $231M U.S. Treasury contract

AT&T Inc. announced Tuesday it has been awarded a $231 million contract from the U.S. Department of Treasury to modernize its voice and data networks and provide cybersecurity protections. The contract was landed by AT&T’s Public Sector organization, which is based in Fairfax County’s Oakton area.

The 12-year contract was awarded through the General Service Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions technology procurement program. Dallas-based AT&T will modernize network services supporting approximately 100,000 Treasury workers across 700 geographically dispersed sites.

“Hats off to the technology leadership and team at Treasury for making a deliberate and comprehensive commitment to network modernization,” said Chris Smith, vice president of civilian and shared services for AT&T Public Sector, in a statement. “We look forward to working with Treasury to help transform its communications capabilities and help ensure it is future-ready for further innovation.”

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