2006 Compensation: $21,309,000
Ivan Seidenberg has steered the company now known as Verizon through two big mergers during the last decade: Bell Atlantic and NYNEX in 1997 and the Bell Atlantic merger with GTE in 2000. Seidenberg began his career after high school as a telecommunications lineman's assistant. He has led Verizon since it was founded, and before that Seidenberg was chairman and CEO of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX.
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/paul-jacobs-qualcomm-ceo
[2] http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/executive-pay
[3] http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/gary-forsee-sprint-nextel-ceo