Opening Address by 4A National President Murthy Vangala

4A National Professional Development Conference
Somerset Marriott, Somerset, New Jersey
July 26, 2001

Welcome

Honorable President of AT&T Network Services, dear Conference Co-Chairs, fellow 4A Officers, AT&T Colleagues and Guests, a very good afternoon to each and all of you!

On behalf of the 4A National organization and the local chapters spread across this Nation I extend to each of you a hearty welcome. For those of you who have traveled to Somerset, I trust you had a safe journey and you are enjoying your visit. For the first time, this year our conference is available to people through NetMeeting as well as audio conference. So I would also like to extend special welcome to all of you in California and other locations.

Recognition

As you know, many things are changing in AT&T today and we are under tremendous cost pressure. To be responsive, we have taken several steps. They include:

• Reducing the conference duration from three to two days
• Making the conference available via NetMeeting to reduce travel costs
• Moving the conference venue from expensive New York City to beautiful Somerset, New Jersey

We are very lucky to have several folks from AT&T and Accenture here. We also have several leaders from other BRGs here as well. We appreciate their continued support.

4A Accomplishments

4A, the Asian/Pacific American Association for Advancement, is rich in history. Founded in 1978 at Murray Hill, New Jersey, it is among the oldest Business Resource Groups of AT&T. Over the years, we have built strong alliances and great partnerships with AT&T, other Business Resource Groups, and private and public sector organizations in our communities to enhance diversity awareness.

Specifically, for our members 4A has created programs for leadership training, mentoring, and career advocacy, thereby continuing to fulfill our mission to provide all 4A members with the appropriate education, tools and awareness necessary to enhance their professional and leadership opportunities within the corporation while contributing to the success of AT&T and the Asian Pacific American community.

For our company, AT&T, we have helped recruit and hire high potential Asian Americans, created a bridge to our communities via the AT&T Foundation where AT&T is seen not only as a great company to work for but also as a good neighbor and corporate citizen. Through our chapters across the United States, our members are working diligently to create a climate that fosters diversity and brings convergence in our communities and cultures. Each May, our chapters conduct Asian American Heritage Month celebrations across the nation. Recently, we ran fundraising efforts for disaster relief to meet global community needs. We've also participated in community events such as the dragon boat races.

Status of Asian Americans

It is an understatement to say that the telecommunication industry has been undergoing a major transformation. While the long distance business is fast becoming a commodity, new opportunities are becoming plentiful.

Our own Asian Pacific American community is seizing the opportunities created by this transformation to assert itself and assume new and active roles both inside and outside of AT&T. In today's new economy, Asian Americans have played and continue to play a critical role. We have witnessed the successes of Asian Americans in the areas of education, entertainment and business, and in our communities, shattering the myth that Asian Americans lack the skills that make them leaders. In Silicon Valley, Northern Virginia, suburban Boston and many other new and emerging growth areas Asian Americans constitute a large portion of the folks that are leading the charge.

We have come far! Paradoxically, we still have a ways to go in our own company. As we help evolve AT&T into a economy company, 4A and AT&T have a unique opportunity to partner in the growth and development of people for greater success. For example, although Asian Americans make up over 10% of the B bands in AT&T, creating a very talented pool of employees, very few Asian Americans at this time hold positions at "Director and above" levels. To the best of my knowledge, we have not had an Asian American on the Board of AT&T. This statistic provides both opportunities and challenges for 4A members and for leaders of AT&T.

Challenges for Members & Executives

The challenge for our 4A members is to seize this opportunity to take charge of their careers, to enhance their professional and leadership skills, to network for success at the workplace and in the community, and to develop strategies to contribute to the success of AT&T. Partnership is the key to success.

The challenge for our business leaders is to seize this opportunity to make a difference, to provide mentoring to our high potential employees, to take chances on individuals so that they can succeed and become role models that others can emulate. By partnering, we will create a new chapter in history.

4A Commitment & Message

4A is committed to forming partnerships with company and community to enhance awareness among everyone and to achieve growth. In this conference and throughout the year we are committed to leave you with one net impression: that 4A has made considerable contribution to the professional and career development of its members while contributing to the success of AT&T and the Asian Pacific American community.

Our Conference this year is planned around the theme, "Partnering for growth and development." At no other time is this theme more relevant than now for both our members and our company. I invite you to live the full meaning of the theme and to derive the maximum benefit from this conference by gaining appropriate tools to create greater opportunities for us and the company, and to work for the mutual success of our business and ourselves.

Several important talks and workshops by AT&T executives and community leaders have been planned for you. This evening, there will be a networking reception with folks from many Business Units. Many managers and executives will be on hand to become part of your network.

Closing Advice to Members and Managers

I encourage you to take time in meeting as many of the chapter and National officers, AT&T executives and guests as possible. Share your ideas, experiences, and key learnings. Invest time and energy to acquire new skills and hone the existing ones, and to establish new relationships and build on the old ones. This conference is dedicated to providing you with the tools to make a positive mark in our business, in your profession and in our communities. Please remember that partnership is the key.

So, I ask all of our members as well as AT&T executives both present here and in the office, to commit to working together to find ways to develop this enormously skilled work force of Asian/Pacific Americans so that we can make our positive impacts on business today and on history in times to come.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let us work together for the success of AT&T, share the fruits of that sweet success, and like our Asian American ancestors before us, plant the seeds of success for our future generations!

Now, I would like to take a moment to thank the many volunteers from the conference planning committee representing all the local chapters, who have worked very hard to make this wonderful conference possible. Let us give the New Jersey/New York team a big hand! Thank you for coming, and for your commitment to the 4A organization and its goals. Have a great conference!