The Legend of Alltel

ALLTEL was formed in 1983 when Allied and Mid-Continent merged their businesses. Allied, formed by brothers-in-law Hugh Wilbourn and Charlie Miller, and Mid-Continent, led by Weldon Case, were diamonds in the rough, and this was in no small part due to the remarkable leadership qualities of the men who guided them. Even before the companies combined, a new leader was emerging, Joe Ford, whose vision and intelligence would lead ALLTEL to become a $7 billion communications company that served more than ten million customers in twenty-four states. And ALLTEL would achieve all this while still retaining the values on which it was founded: honesty, integrity, and a genuine desire to delight its customers.

The Legend of ALLTEL recounts the ingenuity, determination, and corporate strategy that have made ALLTEL a leader in communications. Meticulously researched and packed with telling photos, this comprehensive, highly readable history captures the essence of what it takes to survive and thrive in the fast-paced world of communications.