AT&T President Beth Shiroishi visits Albany Technical College

ALBANY — Albany Technical College hosted a luncheon Thursday for new president of AT&T Georgia, Beth Shiroishi, and several leaders of the region’s institutions of higher learning.

Shiroishi, who assumed her position in December of last year, described her swing through Southwest Georgia as a “listening and get to know you” session.

“I’ve been visiting key leaders and stakeholders in communities throughout the state, and you can’t do that from Atlanta,” she said. “Albany is very different than north Georgia and we need to take that into account because it impacts what we do here.”

Shiroishi said she and AT&T Georgia are committed to strengthening communities and creating shared value throughout the state by investing in the infrastructure needed to keep Georgians and their businesses connected, as well as by providing volunteer and philanthropic support, particularly in the area of education.

From 2010 through 2012, AT&T invested nearly $3.9 billion in its Georgia wireless and wireline networks. And, in the same time period, AT&T and its employees contributed more than $23.9 million through corporate, employee and AT&T Foundation giving programs in Georgia.

“At AT&T our key focus is on education throughout the state. We want to ensure that who are under served and need help,” she said.

Most recently, Shiroishi was involved in the creation of the company’s corporate sustainability group, which worked across the company’s signature charitable program, AT&T Aspire. Under this initiative, more than $100 million has been invested in programs that help under served youth succeed in high school and go on to post secondary education or meaningful employment, and in 2012, the company announced an additional $250 million towards these same goals.

“For me this trip is all about hearing from the region’s educational and community leaders and building relationships,” Shiroishi said.

Albany Tech has benefited from donations given to its Foundation by AT&T. Annual contributions have ranged from $1,000 to $4,500 each year. In 2009, AT&T awarded Albany Tech a $50,000 grant to help the college get to a state of wireless access. They have also been supporters of Foundation events, including the annual golf tournament and roasts.