Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston Named Corporate Foundation Leader of the Year by CR Magazine

Patrick Gaston, Verizon Foundation President and winner of CR Magazine's Corporate Foundation Leader of the Year

Patrick Gaston, president of the Verizon Foundation, has been awarded the 2010 Corporate Foundation Leader of the Year by Corporate Responsibility (CR) Magazine, a leading publication focused on all aspects of corporate responsibility. The award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of leading CEO's with its "Responsible CEO of the Year" award. Mr. Gaston received the award last night at the CRO Summit at the Union League Club of Chicago.

Winners were selected by the editorial committee of CR magazine, publishers of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, based on four main criteria; organizational leadership in the corporate foundation category, personal level of reputational risk in leading the corporate responsibility charge, an organization's confirmed progress toward stated goals and the leader's impact on the attainment of organizational goals.

"It's fitting that the foundation leader from one of the world's largest mobile phone companies is a pioneer in digital-age education," CR magazine wrote.

Verizon has been named to CR Magazine's 100 Best Corporate Citizens Lists for three years in row. In 2010, Verizon was ranked No. 27, up from No. 32 in 2009.

Verizon embraces a comprehensive approach to corporate responsibility and is committed to using its technology to find creative solutions for key social issues such as education, domestic violence and Internet Safety.

"Since 2008, the CR Magazine Responsible CEO of the Year Awards have set the standard for leaders who are both setting tone at the top and taking personal reputational risks to better serve stakeholders," said Jay Whitehead, CR Magazine, publisher and founder. "Patrick represents the best of responsible corporate leadership in the Corporate Foundation category."