Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

10/02/2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-The impact of recent advances in technology will be the topic of a talk by a former AT&T and Lucent Technologies executive who witnessed some of the most dramatic changes in communications over the last quarter century.

James Messenger, the former senior manager of public relations for
Lucent Technologies' Optical Fibers Solutions business, will speak on his experience handling AT&T's crisis in 1990 crisis when it suffered several network failures, the introduction of AT&T into communities dominated by BellSouth and the value of public relations internships Thursday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. in the Ora G. Williams Television Studio in Kyser Hall. Messenger's talk is part of the Northwestern Department of Journalism's Newsmakers and Shakers Series. Admission is free and open to the public.

His appearance is also sponsored by Northwestern's College of Liberal Arts and the NSU Foundation.

"Mr. Messenger is the type of fellow textbooks are written about," said Dr. Don Hatley, dean of the College of Liberal Arts."

A Web site has been constructed to provide a forum for discussing the concept of the information age prior to Messenger's visit at www.cp-tel.net/infoage.

"This is the first time at the University that we are applying the principles of the information age to the practices of the information age," Hatley said. "Messenger is not going to be talking to a bunch of blank faces."

Messenger holds degrees from Middle Georgia College, University of Georgia and Georgia State University, including master's degrees in management and film.

He shouldered the "global responsibility of all aspects of public relations" for his division of Lucent Technologies, including media relations, speechwriting, community relations, event management and employee information. He served as a member of the national public relations team that helped recreate public relations and developed the corporate image campaign for the founding of Lucent Technologies.

Messenger also worked as the national media relations manager for AT&T, frequently working with The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, and the director of the AT&T Worldwide Intelligent Network Executive Visitor Center, which welcomed dignitaries from Fortune 500 companies and politicians, both foreign and domestic, including Vice President Dan Quayle.

Before joining AT&T, he was the president of Penguin Productions, Ltd., earning two National Emmys for "Best Documentary" and "Best Cinematography" for his film "The Taj Mahal."

Messenger also received an Academy Award nomination for his film "Of Time, Tombs and Treasure: The Treasure of Tutankhamun," while working for Charlie/Papa
Productions, and winning two Public Relations Society of America "Corporate Identity" awards.

Past speakers for the Newsmakers and Shakers series include Lolis Eric Elie of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, presidential correspondent Carl Cannon and CNN's Robert Novak.

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