Leo H. Hindery Jr.

• Author: PORTER, MARTIN D.

Veteran cable executive makes a board connection to the high-speed operations of Telocity Inc.

LEO H. HINDERY JR., chief executive of Global Crossing Ltd., has cut a compelling swath in media and cable industry circles. A protege of cable czar John Malone, Hindery is a former president of the world's largest cable television distribution and programming company. Earlier in his career he helped launch one of the nation's largest multiple cable system operations, with more than a million subscribers. Now, at Global Crossing, he is running one of the most dynamic telecom companies in the New Economy. It is no wonder, then, that several up-and-coming media companies are putting in calls for him to join their boards.

One such company is Cupertino, Calif.-based Telocity Inc., a nationwide provider of broadband services to the residential market. The company has grown from 38 employees since its inception in 1997 to a projected 500 employees before the end of this year. It operates today in 115 metropolitan areas, and its plan is to be in 150 by year end, effectively covering about 70% of the households in the U.S. and making it potentially the broadest of the broadband residential providers in the country. Hindery joined Telocity's board in June 2000.

In March of this year, Hindery was recruited to the board of VerticalNet, a high-flying (at least until the spring dotcom shakeout) operator of business-to-business Web sites (see Spring 2000 edition of the Directors Roster). VerticalNet was named in an April 2000 edition of Forbes ASAP magazine as a "Ramp Champ: one of the 20 best managed high growth companies of 1999, with best prospects for continued success." Hindery also recently joined the board of Dialpad.com Inc., a private company that provides free calling services on the Internet.

Regarding his two new public company directorships, Hindery credits them both for having great concepts, proprietary ideas, and an impressive, early-stage record of growth. The "people factor" at each company is the other attribute Hindery finds appealing. He says he really likes the CEO at each company, and that he is looking forward to helping them grow their businesses.

"I only join boards of companies where I think I can give something back to," Hindery comments. "When you become a director you will always have fiduciary responsibilities, so you should try to choose boards with people you enjoy working with."

Separating Telocity from the horde of companies...