H. Dail Holderness began his telephone career in 1933 after graduating from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Starting as a traffic clerk in 1937, he moved to supervisor, manager, assistant treasurer, vice president, president, and finally chairman of the board and chief executive of Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Company. He was elected president of the North Carolina Telephone Association, president of USITA, president of ITPA and the NCITA selected him as the telephone industry “Man of the Year” in 1967.
Holderness was honored with the Carolina Distinguished Citizenship Award not only for his telephone leadership to the state, but also for his activities on behalf of the civic, religious and educational life of his community and the eastern part of North Carolina.
In addition to his work as president of USITA, he served on the membership, communications satellite and ad hoc committees, and four years on the executive committee.
Holderness received the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America, served two terms on the Tarboro City School Board, president of the North Carolina 4-H Club, president of the North Carolina Citizens Association and as director of the Rocky Mount Investment Company, Sero Corporation, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, VA, and the Edgecombe Homestead and Loan Association. He is listed in the 17th edition of “World Who’s Who in Finance and Industry”. He died in 1989.
