Peter Aquino, RCN
Company: RCN Corporation, Herndon, VA
Entry Submitted By: Communicreate
Company Description: RCN Corporation (www.rcn.com),headquartered in Herndon, VA, is a leading provider of bundled cable, high-speed internet and phone services to residential and business customers in Boston, New York, Eastern PA, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Its separately-managed subsidiary, RCN Business Solutions provides bulk video, high-capacity data and voice services to business customers.
Nomination Category: Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Turnaround Executive of the Year
Nomination Title: Peter D. Aquino
Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since January 1 2008 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
When RCN filed for bankruptcy in late 2004, Peter Aquino, a seasoned telecom
and cable veteran, was brought into restructure and turn the company around. As
president and CEO, he led the company’s rapid emergence from bankruptcy in
March 2005 with a new, highly accomplished executive team and board of
directors. The company quickly re-listed on NASDAQ, reestablished financial
stability, and acquired 100% ownership of Starpower Communications in D.C.
But RCN faced new competitive threats by telecom & cable giants who decided to
start offering similar bundled triple play services. At the time, the financial
community doubted RCN could survive, never mind come back. And competitors were
using the bankruptcy to disparage RCN.
Against this backdrop, Aquino led a remarkable transformation of the company.
His bold initiatives have positioned RCN very well for the future, including
accelerating investments in its fiber network. RCN’s 2008 growth investments
were timely, completed before current economic challenges, and positioned RCN
to become free cash flow positive in 2009. This foundation leverages RCN’s
ability to capture new growth in three specific customer segments: consumer;
small-medium business; and large enterprises/leading telecom carriers.
Under Aquino’s leadership, RCN seized the opportunity of the FCC’s set-top box
waiver to accelerate completion of Project Analog Crush and became the nation’s
first cable company to convert to all-digital in all its major metro markets.
This conversion freed up spectrum and provided RCN with a technological edge
over its competitors by enabling RCN to increase new standard digital and high
definition (HD) channels. (RCN has increased to more than 100 HD choices).
It also enabled RCN to create a very robust international tier of programming,
called Global Passport, that rivals the best offerings available, including
satellite, dedicating 150 linear channels and Video On Demand capacity.
As a result, RCN now offers 498 international channel and Video on Demand
viewing choices, from 24 countries in 14 languages. In only a few months and
despite a lagging economy, the international take rate has already increased a
dramatic 30%.
RCN Business ServicesSM), the company’s small-medium business group currently
accounts for only 5% of total revenue today, but is growing at double-digit
rates. The next step is to offer VOIP and Ethernet services to over 300,000
businesses in its footprint.
RCN Metro Optical Networks combines the original RCN Metro and its intercity
fiber rings with acquired ConEd Communications and NEON assets, creating a
premier carrier with over 7,100 route miles and 1,300 points of presence in 5
of the country’s top 10 markets. We continue to serve growing demand for high
capacity, high availability transport, metro Ethernet, and low latency services.
Thanks to Peter Aquino’s leadership, RCN entered 2009 with a strong,
sustainable business model, a 70% residential/30% business revenue mix,
manageable levels of debt, and the flexibility in place to weather the economic
downturn. Its state-of-the-art network allows RCN to build on its momen¬tum and
strategically invest in high-return projects that capture its vertical growth
opportunity and enhance its customers’ experience.
List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
About RCN
http://www.rcn.com/boston/about-rcn
RCN Management Team
http://www.rcn.com/boston/about-rcn/leadership/management
RCN Investor Relations
http://investor.rcn.com/index.cfm
RCN News Releases
http://investor.rcn.com/releases_home.cfm
RCN News Coverage
http://investor.rcn.com/media_coverage.cfm
Community Relations/Corporate Sponsorships & partnerships
Local Sponsorships/partnerships
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/EDb3Sfw9_oNIl8ezWysN1MDevgpZrEjRYeCG26_RCWID9ZXKsa8vxcEoE66pvKRCVg-i2rznXWsOQ6LVxonGYw/2008%20Local%20Community%20Partnerships.pdf
Corporate
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/EDb3SQ_GfU1Il8ezkpMTeMQpmrTIVLXGXRUXNwmvugdX26Ms43n8Onp09g5EIdjeCU5LyBMapkTg6qT2SWMWOQ/Corporate%20Sports%20Partnerships.pdf
Global Passport Overview
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/IET3SVcAUSSFArURtazEsn_xSBm-2sd33NM56ex_fH0L02fwkNDCPTDbOXNaIdlWUkdgwmWevRhwwvbKTe0M-Q/2008%20Global%20Passport.ppt
Samples of international media coverage
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/EDb3SSDAra5Il8ezZ-bMEpKmW8LRr11-LjdIrxjuCmqcboNVTID7pjMIcahpBjETHUnF48fOqO87UPavYe8Ppg/2.pdf
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/IET3SYnt3OaFArURLVZXyzDwGGFZDq3IZN1IURV8iDPqQzEg8AECe85KiwHmkhRNcpJphkkNbvfc605m6SsvSw/3.pdf
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/IET3SSqwUqmFArURVxBlx-4f_6jJEzeU6_5gcQNo1wlLaWNME534VM8ZXJvv55p9H_xrCXyyNqpkQNxaHPu8kg/4.pdf
International Print ad samples
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/IET3SUSgrEiFArURSFtzEaF1TogMDrPugSSiKmDel7nzbspsgLmZ0Y0smtmJpHIUKRX2MvDfmW5i-V1rq9Dzkw/NTDTV%20Ad%20-%204.24.09.pdf
RCN International page on RCN website
http://www.rcn.com/boston/digital-cable-tv/digital-extras/international
International Cross Channel Commercials
TFC Cross Channel Spot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmBO7fr_a_w
Star India
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toKa4BLIdyI
Setanta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPGJb3fBT0M
Setanta (with free preview)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIHfQsybJZQ
ITV (with out free preview)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dR61Gqdz2g
ITV (with preview)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMsvLp_BAGA
International Networks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWfSMBjVwgI
GMA Pinoy TV (with Richard Ramlall intro)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD6i3qv7Wbg
GMA Pricepoint Spot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrZgn9hzxAQ
Zee TV 1 (Richard Ramlall & contestants Contestants from Beam Life SaRe Ga Ma
Pa Challenge (A South Asian show similar to American Idol) promote Zee TV now
appearing on RCN Cable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzPRJD_-wDk
Zee TV 2 (Richard Ramlall & contestants Contestants from Beam Life SaRe Ga Ma
Pa Challenge (A South Asian show similar to American Idol) promote Zee TV now
appearing on RCN Cable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hW6yTf95bQ
Zee TV 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUA3PJZwegc
Zee TV 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_00M2QG9og&feature=channel_page
Zee TV 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_00M2QG9og&feature=channel_page
Zee TV 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLH52GjQi5s&feature=channel_page
Zee TV 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sbauQ-OTsQ&feature=channel_page
Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:
Peter Aquino is President and Chief Executive Officer of RCN Corporation and a
Board of Directors member. Before joining RCN, he served as a Telecom
Operations advisor, focusing on Competitive Local Exchange Carriers, cable and
wireless business restructuring. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer of
Veninfotel a private Venezuelan telecom company, and managed the design,
construction and operation of Latin America’s first fiber-based triple play
provider. He began his career at Bell Atlantic (now Verizon), holding positions
in finance, marketing, regulatory and corporate development. He holds a
master’s degree in business administration from George Washington University in
Washington, D.C.