William Bonaparte, Jr.

Company: Bonaparte Corporation

Position: President/CEO

Industry: Telecommunications Services

Country: United States

William Bonaparte, Jr. has been President and CEO of Bonaparte Corporation since its inception in January 1991. Former president and founder of industry leader, Bonaparte Connection, Inc., which he relinquished after four years of operation, he has remained committed to the business of communications connectivity.

Bill began his career in the telecommunications industry by joining Illinois Bell in 1963 as the company's first African-American PBX Installation Technician. He was promoted into management in 1971 as a PBX Installation Foreman, responsible for all major installations in the Chicago Loop business district.

After earning a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1976, Bill advanced through a variety of assignments of increasing responsibility at Illinois Bell, including Manager of Personnel, Installation Superintendent, Wire Chief and Manager of Business Services. In 1984, Bill moved to AT&T as Area Manager of Chicago South Services where he was awarded the prestigious Keystone Award for Excellence.

In December of 1986, Bill saw expanding opportunities in the marketplace due to the Bell System divestiture. He retired from AT&T and formed the Bonaparte Connection, Inc. from his home in Matteson, Illinois. The company's primary focus was the installation of cable and wire for voice and data systems. By 1990, the company was generating annual revenues in excess of $2 million dollars.

In 1991, Bill noted a trend in communications industry toward full service turnkey demands. He sold his interest in the Bonaparte Connection, Inc. and formed Bonaparte Corporation, which incorporated a full service approach by providing provisioning and management services for communication, electrical, security and control systems.