For progress in labour and long-term conscientious work, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Akulich, General Director of the OJSC «North-West Telecom», was awarded with the Medal of the Order «For services to Motherland» of the II degree. President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin signed the corresponding Decree on 16 March 2007.

Medal of the Order «For services to Motherland» is conferred upon citizens for accomplishments in the sphere of industry and agriculture, construction and transport, science and education, healthcare and culture as well as in other fields of labour activity; for a major contribution to the defence of Motherland, progress in maintaining a high alertness of military units and formations, excellent performance in combat training and other merits during the period of military service; for strengthening law and order, and protection of state security.

Vladimir Aleksandrovich has worked during 23 years in the «Communications» industry; from August 2004, he has been holding the post of General Director of the OJSC «N.W.T.». Under his leadership, a structural reorganization was carried out in the Company – an extensive programme of interrelated corporate events aiming at a radical change in the operation of the entire «N.W.T.». Realization of these measures allowed increasing the efficiency of operation and management in the Company and, above all, creating a structure convenient for a client and oriented at commerce and business. In 2005, the OJSC «North-West Telecom» headed by V.A. Akulich completed realization of an extensive programme of installing telephones to disabled veterans and veterans of the Great Patriotic War. At the end of 2006, under the leadership of Vladimir Aleksandrovich, the "Programme of providing telecommunication services to citizens of Saint-Petersburg for 2005-2007" was realized ahead of schedule.

Within the time period, when V.A. Akulich was the head of «North-West Telecom», capitalization of the Company grew 4.2-fold from 395 to 1 656 million dollars. Standard & Poor's credit ratings were increased: international, by 1 step from «?-/positive» to «??-/stable» level; national, by 2 steps, from «ru???+» to «ru?A-» level. Ratings were conferred by the international agency Fitch: national «? (rus)/Stable, long-term credit rating in foreign currency: «B+/Stable», as well as a short-term at «B» level. Rating of corporate management of RID-Expert-RA was increased by 2 steps from «?++» to «?» level.

Vladimir Aleksandrovich was conferred with the rank of the «Communications master». For active participation in preparation and providing communications at the events dedicated to the 300th Anniversary of the foundation of Saint-Petersburg he was awarded with the medal "In Memory of the 300th Anniversary of Saint-Petersburg"; for merits in resolving urgent problems of forming the information space in the region, by an honorary medal of the Government of Saint-Petersburg «For the contribution to informatization of society». He was awarded with an Honorary Diploma of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of the RF for active participation in preparation of a series of international events with participation of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of the RF held in Saint-Petersburg in May-June 2005. In 2005, at the meeting of the Presidium of the International Academy of Communications, General Director of the OJSC «North-West Telecom» V.A.Akulich was elected an Academician of the IAC.

Vladimir Aleksandrovich Akulich has a well-deserved authority both among his colleagues, and among the heads of the Russian and foreign companies. He is noted for a high level of education, working experience and professionalism, care of the surrounding people, breadth of views and general erudition, deep knowledge both of his own, and related spheres of activity.