Robert Franke is now director of distribution for AirTouch Cellular, a subsidiary of AirTouch Communications Inc. In his new position, Franke will be responsible for customer acquisition and dealer development through the distribution and retail channel for AirTouch inland California and northern Nevada markets. Franke previously held the position of distribution manager. Prior to that, Franke was the founder and former president of CarTel Cellular Inc., providing cellular phones and service in Sacramento.
Nextel Communications Inc. named Daniel Akerson its chairman and chief executive officer. Akerson was previously a general partner of Forstmann Little & Co., a private investment firm he joined in 1993. He also became chairman and CEO of General Instrument Corp., a company Forstmann Little acquired that develops technology, systems and product solutions for the interactive delivery of video, voice and data. Previously, Akerson served as president of MCI Communications Corp.
PCS Wireless Inc. announced Derek Spratt has resigned from his position as executive vice president of business development. Spratt will continue to work with PCS Wireless as a director and consultant to the company.
The Federal Communications Commission has named Donald Gips its deputy director of the International Bureau and Elliot Maxwell deputy chief of its Office of Plans and Policy. Gips will assume the post of bureau chief in May, when the current chief, Scott Blake Harris, leaves the commission. Until May, Gips will serve on detail to oversee the commission’s implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Maxwell is rejoining the commission from the Department of Commerce where he has spent the last two years as director of international technology policy.
Vaughan Hancock of Contact Paging has been elected chairman of the national Paging Services Council. The council directs public relations for the Personal Communications Industry Association. Hancock is vice president of Contact Paging of Albuquerque, N.M.
Comsearch has appointed Tsippora Dingott director of its Wireless Software Division. Dingott joins Comsearch after a 12-year career at Bellcore, where she began as a software developer and then served as software architect. Dingott’s responsibilities at Comsearch include development, testing and quality assurance of Comsearch’s software products with plans to expand the company’s products both nationally and internationally through a quality product development process.
Vancouver, British Columbia-based PCS Wireless Inc. and ADC Telecommunications Inc. announced they have appointed Richard Lee president and general manager of PCS Solutions, a joint venture formed by the two companies in January.
Lee previously served as executive director of engineering and executive director of marketing at PCS PrimeCo L.P./U S West Inc. in Denver. Lee was a founder and president of Spectrix Corp., which developed local area network-grade wireless networking products.
GTE Mobilnet Inc. has named Rodney Sandel director of data sales. Sandel will lead all wireless data sales activities and develop a national indirect distribution network to achieve specific revenue and growth targets in the wireless data area. His responsibilities include revenue and profit goals, account management, partnership creation, field sales and sales engineering support. Sandel was formerly vice president for RAM Mobile Data and held various positions at GTE and U.S.
John Stiska has joined Qualcomm Inc. as senior vice president. Stiska will focus on key market opportunities in the United States and internationally. Stiska formerly was chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Triton Group Ltd. Prior to that, he was a partner in the San Diego law firm of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison.
Qualcomm also named Thomas Bernard as senior vice president of marketing. Bernard, who previously retired from his position as vice president and general manager for Qualcomm’s OmniTracs Division in 1994, rejoins the company in this newly created position to oversee the company’s marketing efforts.
