ODU Grad and Verizon Executive Christine Pantoya Will Deliver Landmark Series Lecture

Christine Pantoya, vice president of corporate strategy and development for telecommunications giant Verizon and an Old Dominion M.B.A. graduate, will deliver the next Landmark Executive-in-Residence Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 17.

Pantoya, a 17-year veteran of the telecommunications industry, will speak from 12:30-1:20 p.m. in 1005 Constant Hall. Drinks and pizza will be provided at the free program, which is sponsored by the College of Business and Public Administration.

Joining Verizon's corporate strategy team in April 2012, Pantoya is responsible for two of the company's major strategic initiatives - entertainment and media, and connected services. Her team develops Verizon's strategic approach and oversees its implementation.

Prior to joining Verizon, Pantoya served four years with Cox Communications as a regional vice president, including overseeing residential sales, retention and marketing, as well as commercial marketing. These divisions were responsible for generating $1 billion in annual revenue for Cox.

Before joining Cox, Pantoya worked for two years with Clearwire to build out and launch markets in the mid-Atlantic region. During that time, she also worked in a private equity venture created to manage wireless retail properties.

In addition, she has worked with Nextel in Florida, acting as regional vice president following the company's merger with Sprint. Pantoya began her career in the telecommunications industry with PrimeCo, a Bell Atlantic/Verizon joint venture that helped establish consumer-targeted cellular products in the mid-1990s.

Pantoya earned her M.B.A. from ODU in 1995. She lives in Summit, N.J., with her husband and 12-year-old son.

Established in 2001, the Landmark Executive-in-Residence program is funded by an endowment from a group of former Landmark Communications executives in honor of Frank Batten Sr., former chairman of the executive committee of the Landmark board and first rector of the ODU Board of Visitors.

The program is dedicated to bringing accomplished business leaders, many of whom are ODU alumni, to campus to share their history and vision, giving students the opportunity to learn firsthand about the strategies and experiences that forge great ethical global leaders.