Sprint CEO Dan Hesse Receives Prestigious Award from Cornell University

Hesse selected as first recipient of the L. Joseph Thomas Leadership award

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sprint (NYSE:S) CEO Dan Hesse has been named the first recipient of the L. Joseph Thomas Leadership Award, the highest honor the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University bestows on its most accomplished alumni leaders. Hesse, a 1977 graduate of Johnson, accepted the award Thursday evening at the annual Alumni Awards Recognition dinner in New York City.

“I am privileged to name Dan Hesse, MBA ‘77, as the recipient of this award in its inaugural year”

The L. Joseph Thomas Leadership award was established in honor of its namesake, who is stepping down after a five-year term as dean. "I am privileged to name Dan Hesse, MBA ‘77, as the recipient of this award in its inaugural year," said Thomas, the Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean of Johnson at Cornell University. "Dan was selected because of his exceptional demonstration of vision and leadership, sound business sense, and commitment to community. These qualities make him a role model for future generations of leaders in both business and other professional pursuits."

Since being named as Sprint CEO in December 2007, Hesse has been credited with making substantial improvements in Sprint’s customer service and re-building the company’s brand. Prominent third parties including the American Customer Satisfaction Index, J.D. Power & Associates and the Reputation Institute have acknowledged Sprint’s improvements.

Hesse said, “I’m proud of Cornell for being recognized as a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility, which is due in no small part to the leadership of Dean Joe Thomas. This Dean thought deeply about the legacy he would leave for future generations. It is an honor to have my name associated with Cornell and with Dean Joe Thomas.”

Hesse also has driven Sprint’s efforts to improve its own sustainability and that of the wireless industry by supporting phone recycling programs, bringing more sustainable mobile devices to market and reducing carbon emissions. For these efforts, Sprint is No. 3 among America’s greenest companies according to Newsweek’s 2011 Green Rankings.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 53 million customers at the end of 3Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The 2011 American Customer Satisfaction Index showed Sprint is the #1 most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all industries, over the last three years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.