Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Additional Information
Timeline
Generic

ILIAS ZERVOS

Mendham,NJ

Summary

Motivated professional with extensive experience in varied Verizon Wireless business units. Demonstrated expertise in: network design, project management, device testing, device lab management, RF design, system performance, product development/support, technology strategy, spectrum valuations, financial modeling, test plan/requirements development and vendor management. Proven ability to proactively manage and solve complex technical/business issues by leading large cross-functional teams.

Overview

30
30
years of professional experience

Work History

Director of Global Networks and Technology

Verizon Wireless
11.2020 - Current
  • Leading a team of 21 highly technical project managers overseeing a portfolio of up to 150 network and technical projects.
  • Worked closely with and presented to 'C-Suite' leadership in providing project updates and strategic recommendations on owned projects.
  • Established departmental/project performance goals and provided feedback for underperforming areas.
  • Collaborated cross-functionally with Engineering, Planning, Product, Operations, and IT teams to ensure seamless project integration.
  • Led the following 'Key Accomplishments' and VZ 'First Launches': VZ Private Networks and OnSite-5G SA Products, IMSI Expansion, New Location/911 Services, Direct Peering, Consumer Products and Pricing, Public Safety/MPN, IOT/Telematics, Wholesale/MVNO partnerships/Visible/Tracfone, CDMAless, 3G/TDM/MSC Decom, Network/Device coordination, and LRA/Roaming Acquisitions.
  • Provided technical expertise to company peers in 911 design, spectrum regulatory issues, device testing methodologies, and product requirements/design.
  • Managed budgets, resource allocation, and project prioritization, optimizing resource utilization and cost-effectiveness.
  • Championed the implementation of Agile, Six Sigma/Black Belt, and automation methodologies, resulting in a 20% reduction in project completion time.
  • Provided mentorship and professional development opportunities, contributing to team growth and their career advancement.

Director of Network and Technology Transformation

Verizon Wireless
01.2019 - 11.2020
  • Maintain a portfolio and program roadmap and drive project intake, review, approval, and prioritization in partnership with Executive Committee, Project Sponsors, Business Owners, and Verizon's lines of business
  • Measure and monitor project performance at the portfolio and program level, having responsibility for hands-on project execution to manage strategic or large-scale programs
  • Provide leadership status reporting, facilitate key program meetings, and support the resolution and further escalation of risks, issues, and decisions.
  • Reorganized and eliminated redundancy across wireless and wireline business units: Engineering, Real Estate, Direct Tel, and general Network process efficiencies.
  • Led and met VZ's $2.0B Savings goal in CAPEX and OPEX for two financial years, a company first.
  • Leveraging Project Management, Lean/Six Sigma and Design methodologies to identify areas of opportunity, develop solutions and then drive full execution across the business.
  • Led and facilitated leadership team meetings/updates, cross-functional workshops, and VLSS work-outs that enabled required savings and efficiency.
  • Acting as an effective change agent and partner utilizing proper stakeholder analysis and change management techniques.

Director of Network Implementation

Verizon Wireless
02.2018 - 01.2019
  • Cultivated project timelines, documentation, processes and updates to develop and manage tactical plans.
  • Organized project implementation resources and leveraged expertise to assist organizational rollout.
  • Aligned, coached, and all internal Verizon as it relates to new platform, product and service deployments working with all organizations within Network (HQ Planning, PDI, NNO, ME , Device Evolution and the Territories/Markets) as well as IT and Marketing.Managed direct deployment activities for the integration and commercial success of new product and services projects. This includes leading initiating milestones, timelines and direction, aligning people with determination, and willingness to take action and follow through. Develop and execute comprehensive project plans, coordinate multiple teams, manage risk, and present status and initiatives to executive leadership.
  • Led network infrastructure initiatives: VZ's 'KPI Personalization,' CDMAless prep and 3G/CDMA Network Decom, Messaging/RCS, Straightpath/Nextlink Spectrum clearance/analysis, Toll-Free Optimization for IP Origination, TMobile/ATT NNI Peering, XO Decom, iEN Migration, EVS Vocoder, 911 Transition to Single Vendor Solution, CALEA, VoWIFI Auto UI, CCPA Compliance.

Program and Network Manager

Verizon Wireless
05.2017 - 02.2018
  • Responsible in leading Verizon's first 5G launch, program development, build, and implementation with vendor partnership
  • Manage various aspects of 5G program: trials, trial site/core build, customer acquisition/installation, Network support and test result evaluation with close collaboration with infrastructure vendors
  • Participate in vendor and leadership meetings to evaluate project needs and state
  • Participate and contribute to weekly vendor vigilance reviews to 5G infrastructure and device readiness
  • Lead cross functional teams in pursuing and developing a commercialization plan for VZ's 5G Fixed Wireless Network : project plan, cross functional collaboration, design/build planning and CPE requirements reviews
  • Provide weekly status to leadership(including VZ's CEO) on entire 5G project view including Trial and Limited Commercial plan
  • Apply best practices and Network Agile methods to project implementation

Senior Manager

Verizon Wireless
03.2013 - 05.2017
  • Headed a six person project management team developing programs/projects directing all cross functional organizations which include: Network, Device Technology, Marketing (Device), IT, RA and all Areas/Regions with respect to numerous projects inclusive but not limited to voice services
  • Led and managed team on CDMAless project to create the first commercial LTE/VoLTE only smartphone
  • Met accelerated timeline to support CDMAless Telematics products in 2016
  • Managed all aspects of CDMA roaming coverage conversion to GSM/UMTS
  • Team leader in developing Market conversion plan(Network/Device) to achieve 50% VoLTE usage by EOY 2016
  • Responsible in dictating and creating national plan for all cross functional teams on Network’s 3G shut down path
  • Areas included device plan for all channels, eHRPD shutdown, OEM communication, and date alignment
  • Other major projects under supervision : TMobile/Comcast Peering, IT Peering, Toll Free Optimization, eUICC, and Videomail
  • Led and managed team responsible for the Advanced Calling 2.0 project which includes: Voice Over WiFi and VoLTE for Internet Connected Endpoints
  • Main contributor in project planning, technical feedback, and team engagement in the following areas : HO performance, e911, CALEA, TTY/RTT, and related use cases
  • Contributed to defining nation-wide build and test phases for the successful launch of VoLTE within the following areas : IMS AS, Usage Control/Call Message Block, WIFI Handover, 1X Contingency, Voice Mail, LRA/Alaska, PGW Billing, device planning, and test executions
  • Responsible for managing and defining Network device strategy related to VoLTE testing/launch
  • Successfully provisioned, deployed, monitored and supported: 16,000 VoLTE trial devices - 11 different models and 55 software loads
  • This represented the largest number of test devices distributed for trial use throughout the country of any project
  • Responsible for communicating nation-wide rate and pace of commercial VoLTE device launch strategy/support to Network, Marketing, Customer Operations and Technical Support (CARE) teams
  • Team leader in transforming NI project management process from traditional Waterfall to AGILE methodology.

Senior Manager

Verizon Wireless
04.2010 - 03.2013
  • Managed team that validated device test plans and processes for all new technologies for Verizon and wireless industry
  • Highest number of validated test plans(35) in a single year with heavy emphasis in LTE and Multi-RAT technologies
  • Company leader in validating and accrediting five LTE/CDMA/EVDO 3rd party labs
  • Decreased device test time by 30% by proactively working with test platform manufacturers, software automation vendors, and device vendors
  • Implemented random sampling to further decrease test time without sacrificing quality
  • Successfully negotiated with 3rd party vendors to obtain 30%-50% cost savings on all equipment and services
  • Proactively identified all equipment and infrastructure purchase recommendations for the Bedminster Device Lab, Bedminster/South Lake IOT Labs, and associated IT network
  • Managed a budget of $12 million that successfully supported the testing and launch of 213 device submissions
  • Chairman of the CDMA Certification Forum
  • Drove the wireless industry to a 32% decrease in legacy testing
  • Delivered device test equipment utilization metrics and 17025 lab accreditation – a company first.

Distinguished Member of Technical Staff

Verizon Wireless
02.2007 - 04.2010
  • Analyzed potential spectrum acquisitions, swaps and new technology deployments for the Business Development team
  • Led the team in sensitivity analysis on each proposal with a minimum of 20% savings
  • Technical architect in analyzing spectrum valuations of 700MHz, AWS, Cellular and PCS bands for the entire network through extensive model creation
  • Analyzed potentials for FIOS/LTE Rural America projects including: Location, demographics and implementation
  • Guided team away from manual yearly carrier collection process to utilizing real-time automated database – a savings of 400 man hours.

Manager

VERIZON WIRELESS
04.2006 - 02.2007
  • Budget Management/Reporting and Analysis, Served as the financial and business partner to the Network department on the entire capital budget
  • Provided and prepared monthly financial reporting, forecasting, trending and variance analysis to senior management in Finance and Network
  • Developed theoretical business models for all Network elements: cells, carriers, switches, servers, trunks to evaluate benefit cost ratios
  • Principal technical lead for the Finance department on all Network matters.

Manager

VERIZON WIRELESS
08.2000 - 03.2006
  • Successfully managed a team which developed new device test processes, plans and requirements
  • Hands-on manager responsible for successfully launching and evaluating first EVDO products
  • Responsible for $7.0 million of budgetary decision making for facility and test equipment implementation
  • Directed collection of lab metrics, device/network performance data and test plans that supported a minimum of fifteen devices per year.

Senior Radio Frequency Engineer

VERIZON WIRELESS(BANM)
07.1997 - 08.2000
  • Lead engineer responsible for the highest amount(40%) of the market's new cell build
  • Led all aspects of cell design: search area development, site analysis, zoning expert and pre/post analysis
  • Recognized for the most zoning meetings attended amongst my peer group company wide
  • Technical lead in spectrum frequency planning and carrier adds for the entire Northern New Jersey/New York Metro Region
  • Analyzed traffic engineering data for capacity relief and cell site build-out recommendations.

Senior RF/Device Engineer/Intern

VERIZON WIRELESS(BANM)
07.1993 - 07.1997
  • Primary engineer responsible for all launch decisions and testing of initial 1xRTT commercial and trial products
  • Made technical recommendations for new products based on lab and field analysis
  • Implemented and analyzed new testing procedures for new feature technologies : authentication, SMS, Caller ID, and VMI. Authored test procedures which became industry standards
  • Published articles for Cellular Business magazine’s product review column
  • Developed an automated evaluation program utilizing a Tenney environmental chamber and Marconi base station emulator for device testing – an industry first

Education

MBA - Finance And Financial Engineering

Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ
12.2007

Master of Science - Telecom Engineering And Project Management

Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ
05.2000

Bachelor of Engineering - Electrical Engineering

Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ
05.1993

Other

Skills

  • Next-Generation Networks: 5G, SA, Product Development
  • Organizational Performance/Technical Proficiency
  • Time Management/Six Sigma
  • Budgeting and Resource Management
  • Interpersonal and teamwork skills and capability to work in international multi-site environment
  • Initiative, creative and analytical
  • Ability to communicate and cooperate with other people in all situations

Additional Information

  • Chairman of 3G/CDMA Certification Forum (CCF): VZ industry lead w/Infrastructure Vendors, Device OEMs, Inter-Operability Labs, and the CTIA
  • Smartsheets, Hyperion Essbase, VistaPLUS, MapINFO, Clarity, Office, Dell CRM, Sharepoint, Confluence, and JIRA
  • Tool experience: Geoplan, RTT, Irisview, Netplan, CellCAD, Qualcomm CAIT/QXDM, DataPRO
  • Test equipment: KeySight, Agilent, MARS, R&S CMW, Aeroflex 7100, Ethereal, Wireshark and Spirent
  • Technical Training in 5G/4G-LTE/IMS/VoLTE/EVDO-CDMA: Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Qualcomm and Award Solutions
  • Practicing and trained in Agile/Lean, Scrum, Kanban, Design Thinking, and Six Sigma/Black Belt methodologies
  • Versed in Greek

Timeline

Director of Global Networks and Technology

Verizon Wireless
11.2020 - Current

Director of Network and Technology Transformation

Verizon Wireless
01.2019 - 11.2020

Director of Network Implementation

Verizon Wireless
02.2018 - 01.2019

Program and Network Manager

Verizon Wireless
05.2017 - 02.2018

Senior Manager

Verizon Wireless
03.2013 - 05.2017

Senior Manager

Verizon Wireless
04.2010 - 03.2013

Distinguished Member of Technical Staff

Verizon Wireless
02.2007 - 04.2010

Manager

VERIZON WIRELESS
04.2006 - 02.2007

Manager

VERIZON WIRELESS
08.2000 - 03.2006

Senior Radio Frequency Engineer

VERIZON WIRELESS(BANM)
07.1997 - 08.2000

Senior RF/Device Engineer/Intern

VERIZON WIRELESS(BANM)
07.1993 - 07.1997

MBA - Finance And Financial Engineering

Stevens Institute of Technology

Master of Science - Telecom Engineering And Project Management

Stevens Institute of Technology

Bachelor of Engineering - Electrical Engineering

Stevens Institute of Technology

Other

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