Nextel Communications, Inc. is appointing Leonard J. Kennedy as senior vice president and general counsel. Tom Sidman, Nextel's general counsel since October 1994 will leave at the end of February, 2001.

Prior to joining Nextel, Kennedy was a partner at Dow, Lohnes & Albertson, P.L.L.C. concentrating on telecommunications law and regulatory policy, including competitive local exchange, personal communications services, long-distance, and the Internet and information services issues.

Kennedy also served as senior legal advisor to FCC Commissioners Ervin S. Duggan and Patricia Diaz Dennis.

Nextel Communications, Inc., based in Reston, Va., provides integrated wireless communications services and has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc., currently serve 178 of the top 200 U.S. markets. The Nextel National Network offers a fully integrated wireless communications tool with digital cellular, text and numeric messaging, wireless Internet access and Nextel Direct Connect, a digital two-way radio feature. In addition, through Nextel International, Inc., Nextel has wireless operations and investments in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, the Philippines, Peru, Chile and Japan.

Nextel's Web site is at http://www.nextel.com.