Our Leadership Team

Eugene B. Johnson

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Gene Johnson co-founded the company and has been chief executive officer since January 2002, adding the chairman's position in January 2003. Before that, Johnson led FairPoint's corporate development efforts as executive vice president. A former captain in the U.S. Army, he started his career as a certified public accountant. He owned a cable television construction company and later became head of the mergers & acquisitions group of Cable Investments, Inc. He also served as president and principal shareholder of JC&A, Inc., an investment banking and brokerage firm providing services to the cable TV, phone and related industries. Today he serves on the board of trustees for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a regular supporter of local civic activities.

Peter G. Nixon

President
Peter Nixon has been responsible for directing FairPoint's operations since November 2002. He began his career in 1978 when he joined Chautauqua and Erie Telephone Corporation (C&E). When FairPoint acquired C&E in July 1997, Nixon was named president of C&E. Since 1999, he has served FairPoint in positions of increasing responsibility including president of FairPoint's eastern region, chief operating officer and then president of the Telecom Group and senior vice president of corporate development, where he was responsible for acquisitions and new revenue opportunities.

Alfred C. Giammarino

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Alfred Giammarino is executive vice president and chief financial officer. He is responsible for FairPoint's financial reporting and control, investor relations, treasury and risk management. A telecom industry veteran, he joined FairPoint in September 2008. Giammarino's career spans more than 30 years, including executive positions at Verizon Communications, where he served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of its international and information services group and GTE Corporation, where he was senior vice president of finance and planning. Giammarino began his career at the accounting firm Arthur Andersen. A graduate of St. John's University in New York, Giammarino is a certified public accountant. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and is based in FairPoint's corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Lisa R. Hood

Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller
Lisa Hood is senior vice president and corporate controller. She is responsible for financial planning and budget management for both the legacy companies as well as the newly acquired northern New England properties. Hood previously served as corporate controller for the legacy FairPoint companies and as chief operating officer of the Telecom Group. Before joining FairPoint, she served as manager of a local public accounting firm in Kansas. She is a certified public accountant and is based in FairPoint’s Dodge City, Kansas office.

Shirley J. Linn

Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Shirley Linn is responsible for managing FairPoint’s legal matters including contracts, securities law compliance, employment issues and acquisitions. She joined the company in October 2000. Before that she was a partner with the Charlotte law firm of Underwood Kinsey Warren & Tucker, P.A., where she specialized in general business matters, particularly mergers and acquisitions. She began her legal career in New York City. As outside counsel, she represented FairPoint in 10 of its phone company acquisitions.