Former WorldCom CEO Dies

John Sidgemore, the former chairman and CEO of WorldCom Inc. who led the company through the early stages of the biggest reorganization in corporate history, on Thursday died from complications of acute pancreatitis, according to national media reports.

He was 52.

Sidgemore, who is credited with building UUNet, the biggest Internet backbone carrier in the world, took over WorldCom in April 2002 replacing embattled chief Bernie Ebbers.

At the time WorldCom was struggling, but its woes deepened following the news that the Clinton, Miss., telecom giant had misstated billions of dollars in earnings over five quarters.

Under Sidgemore, WorldCom filed the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history and subsequently vowed to restore the public’s trust in the wake of a monstrous accounting scandal that authorities said was orchestrated by top brass during the Ebbers era.

In September 2002, WorldCom announced plans to seek a permanent chief for the ailing company. Two months later, WorldCom named Michael Capellas – the former President of Hewlett-Packard Co. – its new Chairman and CEO.

“We are deeply saddened by John Sidgemore’s passing,” MCI, the former WorldCom, said in a statement released Thursday. “He was a true Internet visionary leader and friend who had an uncanny ability of bringing joy into people’s lives … We celebrate John’s entrepreneurial spirit that will remain with us going forward.”

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