President and CEO, WorldCom AGE 57 NET INCOME for 1997 $383.7
million ADDRESS 515 E. Amite Street, Jackson, Miss. BIO Bernie
Ebbers runs one of the most successful companies in the
telecommunications business. But who would have known that this
native Canadian had dropped out of college twice (before
graduating from Mississippi College) and worked as a milkman by
day and a bouncer by night. Ebbers began with a
long-distance-resale company, LDDS (Long Distance Discount
Service), then started devouring smaller firms (two valuable
assets include MFS Communications and Uunet). What emerged was
WorldCom, now one of the largest Internet carriers in the world
and one of the biggest players in the telecommunications
industry. 1998 POWER PLAY Ebbers is out to break records with
WorldCom's $37 million merger with MCI. Once approved,
MCI-WorldCom will have an estimated revenue of $30 billion and
threaten to control more than half of all Internet traffic. With
its ambitious chief and new ally, WorldCom is looking to improve
its network between Europe and the U.S. while making savings of
$20 billion over the next five years. PLACE YOUR BETS WorldCom's
stock has increased nearly 65.7% in the past year. Though some
are hesitant about the performance of the new MCI-WorldCom,
company earnings have increased at least 20%. WorldCom is here to
stay. It's a smart addition to any portfolio.
