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Engineering Alumnus and Verizon Executive to Present 2015 Ward Lecture

Anthony J. Melone ’82 EE

On February 13, 2015, College of Engineering alumnus Anthony J. Melone ’82 EE will address the Villanova community as the 2015 Patrick J. Cunningham Jr. and Susan Ward ’80 Endowed Lecture Series speaker. With more than 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry, Melone’s lecture, “The Evolution of Wireless Technology,” will address how advances in wireless technology have transformed the way we communicate and access information, and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead in an untethered world.

In December 2010, Melone was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Verizon Communications where he is responsible for the company’s technology roadmap, including overall platforms integrity and architecture, network strategy and product development. He also manages Verizon’s overall network engineering and operations functions. During his nearly 15 years with the company, Melone has held a number of key positions, including senior vice president and chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless, vice president of network operations, and staff vice president of network planning and administration.

Melone holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Villanova University and a master's degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2010, he received the prestigious J. Stanley Morehouse Award from Villanova’s College of Engineering and the Engineering Alumni Society for outstanding leadership in the engineering profession.

The Ward Lecture Series is made possible by a generous gift from College alumna Susan Ward ’80 ChE and her husband Patrick Cunningham. The underlying objective of the series is to provide Villanova engineering students with exposure to the nation’s leading technical experts from various engineering disciplines. Since the inaugural lecture in November 2010, industry leaders have covered topics ranging from interactive digital games and human expression, space flight, the multimillion dollar expansion of the Panama Canal, the engineer’s role in design and innovation, and large-scale engineering project management.

The Ward Lecture will be presented on Friday, Feb. 13 from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Villanova Room, Connelly Center. There will be time for Q & A. Those who are unable to attend may view via live stream or access an archived recording after the event.