Dennis M. Bone is the President of Verizon New Jersey and responsible for all of Verizon’s corporate interests in New Jersey.  With nearly 18,000 employees, Verizon is one of the largest employers in the state

Mr. Bone started his Verizon career in 1979 as an outside plant engineer for New Jersey Bell.  He worked in operations, competitive assessment, regulatory matters and external affairs before being named President and CEO of Bell Atlantic–West Virginia in July, 1995.  He returned to New Jersey in June, 2000 as President of Verizon New Jersey.

During his tenure at Verizon New Jersey, Mr. Bone has helped lead Verizon’s aggressive deployment of a fiber optic network throughout the state.  Verizon is the only telecommunications company in the country committed to building an advanced, all digital fiber-optic network on a mass scale directly to customers’ homes. New Jersey is the most fibered state in the country and Verizon’s award-winning FiOS TV and Internet service is available in over 340 municipalities in the state.

Under Mr. Bone’s leadership, Verizon has undertaken and been recognized for numerous environmental initiatives that have benefited natural habitat and species.  Verizon corporate philanthropy in New Jersey benefited nearly 200 non-profit organizations with grants in areas such as domestic violence, health and safety, education and literacy.

Mr. Bone is a 1973 graduate of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics.  He also has a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and economics from Rutgers University and a Master of Science degree in counseling from The Johns Hopkins University.  He also has been awarded three honorary doctorates.

In June 2009, Mr. Bone was named Chairman of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce.  He has been an active member of the board, playing a particularly strong role as chairman of the State Chamber’s Platform for Progress Economic Development Coalition since 2005.  He co-chairs the Chamber’s Cornerstone New Jersey – Vision 20/20 project, which consists of nine initiatives that, if implemented, would position New Jersey as a regional and global leader.  Participants from all segments of New Jersey business, association and civic organizations are working collaboratively with state and local leaders to adopt the initiatives.

Mr. Bone is on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Newark Alliance, the Newark Community Foundation, the Liberty Science Center, the New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning and the New Jersey Network Foundation.  In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and the New Jersey Utilities Association.  Bone is Chairman of the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission.

Dennis and his wife, Denise, have three children.