SBC Pacific Bell Names New President, CEO

Los Angeles native Chuck Smith on Wednesday was named president and chief executive of SBC Pacific Bell, the state’s largest local phone company.

The move makes Smith the fourth executive to hold the top job at SBC Pacific Bell since the former Pacific Telesis Group was purchased five years ago by SBC Communications Inc. Smith replaces Ray Wilkens, who has been named SBC’s senior executive vice president for sales and marketing.

Smith, who also will serve as president and CEO of SBC Nevada Bell, takes the job at a critical juncture. SBC PacBell wants desperately to win state and federal approval to sell long-distance phone service in its home territory in California.

Getting those approvals has been more difficult than the company anticipated. In addition, SBC PacBell has come under fire for a variety of complaints from consumers, including over-aggressive sales tactics--an allegation that ultimately resulted in a fine.

But Smith is optimistic.

“I’m committed to improving and continuing to improve our great customer service,” Smith said. “And we’ll continue to improve our parity service to our competitors ... so that we will be allowed to get into long-distance.”

Smith is a 35-year employee of SBC and predecessor phone companies and most recently served as president of SBC Pacific Bell Network Services. He also is executive advisor to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Organization, and is a past chair and current member of the Executive Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Urban League. He was born in Los Angeles, and owns homes in Baldwin Park and in Northern California.

The longtime chief executive of Pac Bell, Phil Quigley, left the company shortly after its acquisition was completed in 1997. He was succeeded by three executives selected by SBC: Ed Mueller, Bill Blase and Wilkens.