VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN), the leading provider of critical infrastructure services for Internet and telecommunications networks, today announced that it has named Vernon Irvin as Executive Vice President of VeriSign's Telecommunications Services Group.

"Hundreds of carriers and service providers already rely on VeriSign's Telecommunication Services Group to provide critical services that allow their customers to connect and communicate over wireline and wireless networks," said Stratton Sclavos, CEO and President of VeriSign. "Vernon Irvin is a proven leader who we believe can take our unmatched infrastructure, technology and people to the next level of performance and success on a global basis. We are thrilled to have him join our executive management team as we look to deliver a purpose-built utility for the digital age of communications and commerce."

Central to the VeriSign's mission is making telecommunications and Internet networks more reliable, more intelligent and more secure. VeriSign Telecommunications Services play a vital role in delivering on that promise by providing the intelligent network services that support innovation, interoperability and efficiency in today's telecommunications markets.

"VeriSign is unique in that no other company has the combination of Internet and telecommunications offerings that carriers, services providers and Fortune 1000 companies rely on to conduct digital commerce and communications," said Irvin. "I am excited to be joining the VeriSign team to help drive the next wave of intelligent network services that help solve our customers' current challenges around cost, complexity and compliance."

Irvin joins VeriSign with more than 17 years of experience in the communications and media enterprises. At American Management Systems (AMS), Irvin was the executive vice president and general manager of the Global Communications, Media, and Entertainment (CME) practice. Irvin was responsible for managing these rapidly growing lines of business with operations on four continents and 2002 revenues exceeding $200 million. At AMS, Irvin built the company's first sales and marketing organization, re-organized CME, acquired and integrated the assets of Quintessent Communications, assumed leadership of AMS's European operations, and diversified CME's customer and industry portfolio.

Prior to AMS, Irvin was at BT Ignite, the broadband and Internet services business of British Telecommunications plc (BT), where he held several executive positions. He was the founding manager and president of BT Ignite Content Hosting and Media Services, a $500 million applications infrastructure business with more than 2,000 employees. Previously, Irvin held senior management positions with several major communications companies including e.Spire communications, WorldCom, MFS UUNET, Ameritech and MCI.

Irvin received his BS degree in Computer Science from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio.

About VeriSign

VeriSign, Inc. delivers critical infrastructure services that make the Internet and telecommunications networks more intelligent, reliable and secure. Every day VeriSign helps thousands of businesses and millions of consumers connect, communicate, and transact with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at http://www.verisign.com/ .