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Avaya Board Names Patricia F. Russo Chairman

Donald K. Peterson Named Vice-Chairman

18 Dec 2000

Avaya Inc. (NYSE:AV) today announced that Patricia F. Russo has joined its board of directors as chairman. The company also said its board named Donald K. Peterson, president and CEO, to the additional post of vice-chairman.

Russo, 47, replaces Henry Schacht, who remains on Avaya's board but stepped down as chairman in October to become chairman and CEO of Lucent Technologies.

From 1993 to 1997, Russo served as president of the Lucent Technologies businesses that now form the core of Avaya, spun off from Lucent earlier this year. Under her leadership, the combined revenues of those businesses grew about 43.5 percent, from nearly $4 billion in 1993 to more than $5.7 billion in 1996, while profitability improved even more dramatically. Most recently, Russo was executive vice president and CEO of Lucent's Service Provider Networks Group.

"Avaya's board of directors is pleased to welcome Pat Russo as chairman," said Don Peterson. "She brings us deep business experience as well as knowledge of communications technology and an unsurpassed appreciation for the needs of enterprise customers."

"I am delighted to be joining the Avaya board as chairman and to have the opportunity to work with a terrific management team under Don Peterson's leadership " a team that is truly poised for success," said Russo. "Avaya is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the rapidly growing demand for reliable, converged communications solutions. To a greater extent than any other company, Avaya has great technology, services and customer relationships, along with a clear focus on the enterprise."

Avaya, headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., USA, is a leading provider of communications systems for enterprises, including businesses, government agencies and other organizations. Avaya offers converged voice and data, customer relationship management, messaging, voice multi-service networking and structured cabling products and services. Avaya is a worldwide leader in sales of messaging and structured cabling systems and a U.S. leader in sales of enterprise voice communications and call center systems. Avaya intends to use its leadership positions in enterprise communications systems and software, its broad portfolio of products and services, and strategic alliances with other technology and consulting services leaders to offer its customers comprehensive eBusiness solutions. For more information about Avaya, visit its Web site at http://www.avaya.com.

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