Pocket Communications Inc. named three new executives to its corporate management team.
John A. Hoffman is the new chief operating officer. He has been given responsibility for the day-to-day activities of the company’s operations in each of its markets including local personnel, sales and marketing. Most recently he was general manager for BellSouth Mobility DCS.
John Samarron Jr. was named chief technical officer. He will be responsible for design, implementation and operation of the company’s national wireless personal communications services network. Previously, he was chief technical officer for Airtel Movil, a subsidiary of AirTouch International.
The new vice president of business development and industry relations is Gretel Hoffman. Her responsibilities will include industry alliances and new product identification. Hoffman joined the company after serving as director of technology for BellSouth Mobility DCS. She will continue to serve as chairperson of the GSM MoU Association.
Pocket also announced that Colleen R. Ross will be its new senior vice president and general counsel. She comes to the company from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston L.L.P., a Washington, D.C. law firm. While there she co-chaired the firm’s personal communications services law group.
Cable & Wireless plc named Robert E. Lerwill the company’s finance director, succeeding Ron Olsen who was promoted to deputy group chief executive in July. Lerwill was group finance director of the WPP Group plc before joining the company.
“He has an excellent financial and management record,” said Richard Brown, Cable & Wireless’ chief executive officer.
“His experience fits well with the focus of Cable & Wireless; that of growing long-term shareholder value by deepening our roots in the major markets of the world,” Brown added.
Omnipoint Corp. named Kjell S. Andersson president of its technology division. Andersson has 28 years of telecommunications industry experience including positions as executive vice president and general manager of Ericsson Radio Systems AB and president and chief executive officer of Ericsson Radio Access AB. He joined Ericsson Radar Electronics AB in 1982 after spending nine years in engineering, marketing and general management positions with SATT Electronics AB.
“We are extremely excited to have an industry leader of Kjell Andersson’s stature joining Omnipoint Corp. to head the technology division,” said Douglas Smith, president and chief executive officer of Omnipoint. “We look forward to his world-renowned leadership shaped by nearly three decades of experience in radio system design and manufacturing.”
Andersson added, “Becoming president of Omnipoint’s technology division provides a unique entrepreneurial opportunity to help build a wireless company in an industry that will experience enormous growth.”
Excel Inc., a designer of programmable switching systems, hired Gadi Tamari as its chief operating officer. The company said Tamari has more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry from Tadiran Electronic Industries, Elron Electronics Industries, Scitex America Corp., Lan-Tel and Axiom Technology.
Scott N. Schneider has been named chief financial officer at Century Communications Corp. He previously was the company’s senior vice president and treasurer. Schneider also is a member of Century’s board of directors and has been with the company for 14 years.
“Scott has been an invaluable member of the Century senior management team and the chief architect of Century’s highly diverse and flexible capital structure which has evolved in recent years,” said Leonard Tow, Century chairman and chief executive.
Nextel Communications Inc. has named Robert H. McNamara, formerly of the Federal Communications Commission, director of regulatory technology and compliance. In the newly created position, he will be responsible for ensuring that Nextel satisfies all regulatory and compliance issues involving the company’s wireless licenses and antenna siting throughout its nationwide digital wireless network. Prior to joining the company, McNamara was chief of the private wireless Division of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
California Microwave Inc. has appointed David B. Leeson chairman of the board of directors. Philip F. Otto has resigned as chairman and chief executive officer of the company.
“Phil Otto’s contribution to the growth and development of California Microwave has been substantial. We thank him for his efforts and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Leeson.
Tom Yang has joined Phoenix Wireless Group Inc. as product manager. He previously was product manager for the telecommunications group at Watkins Johnson in Gaithersburg, Md., and a systems engineering group leader at Motorola’s Cellular Infrastructure Group.
“We are very pleased to have someone of Yang’s caliber join the Phoenix team,” said Chief Operating Officer Paul Mueller. “Tom adds significant expertise in the area of digital wireless communications and will play a key role in our future product rollouts.”
Hutton Communications has promoted Rich Gebhart to Southeastern regional sales manager. He has eight years of experience in the wireless industry and extensive communications product experience. Gebhart will be responsible for sales and management of the communications and cellular personnel in Hutton’s Atlanta office.
Conductus Inc. appointed Robert M. Janowiak, executive director of the International Engineering Consortium, to its board of directors. He replaces Robert Saldich, who resigned from the board.
At IEC, Janowiak oversees university and educational programs aimed at stimulating better relationships between industry and academia. He is adjunct professor of marketing and business policy at the Harold Stuart School of Business Administration at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
“We are very pleased that Bob Janowiak has joined our board,” said Charles Shalvoy, president and chief executive officer of Conductus. “His extensive operating experience and record of accomplishments in industry combined with his years of experience with the IEC will enable him to be an important contributor to our board.”
