CIENA Enhances North American Sales Team, Names Barbara Blanck Vice President, North American Sales
Linthicum, MD — 02/26/2001Ciena Corporation (CIEN), a global leader in intelligent optical networking, today announced that Barbara Blanck has joined Ciena to direct the company's North American sales operations as Vice President, North American Sales. Ms. Blanck will be primarily responsible for developing and maintaining business accounts and building customer relationships across North America. She will report to Ciena's Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Chris Simpson.
Ms. Blanck, a seasoned veteran of the telecommunications industry, was most recently Executive Vice President of Global Sales at Global One, where she coordinated the sales activities across five regional teams and directed an organization of 230 employees. She brings to her new position valuable expertise in telecommunications sales at both strategic and tactical levels to enhance Ciena's market presence and continuing leadership.
"Ciena will undoubtedly continue to strengthen its customer base and relationships with the addition of Barbara's solid experience and outstanding reputation," said Ciena's Simpson. "Her vast knowledge and notable track record, coupled with her professional ebullience and service provider background, create a phenomenal value-add to the Ciena sales team."
Ms. Blanck began her career in telecommunications as an account manager at Sprint in 1982. By 1990, she had held a number of managerial positions within the company before moving to Global One in 1995 upon its creation from Sprint International. "I am eager to lead Ciena's North American sales team in the continued effort to provide its customers with customized intelligent network solutions and strategic business value," Ms. Blanck said. "I look forward to penetrating new opportunities for Ciena's market-leading intelligent optical networking products and enhancing its existing customer relationships and sales efforts."
Ms. Blanck earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan.
Ciena Corporation's market-leading optical networking systems form the core for the new era of networks and services worldwide. Ciena's LightWorks™ architecture enables next-generation optical services and changes the fundamental economics of service-provider networks by simplifying the network and reducing the cost to operate it. Additional information about Ciena can be found at http://www.ciena.com.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions of Ciena (the Company) that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, which include the risk factors disclosed in the Company's Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2001. Forward looking statements include statements regarding the Company's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will," and "would" or similar words. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Nicole Anderson
Ciena Corporation
(877) 857 -7377
pr@ciena.com
Marie Downing
Ciena Corporation
(888) 243-6223
ir@ciena.com
