Nextel Communications
Kevin Gleason was hired at Nextel Communications Inc. as Indiana General Manager and Sherri Cobb joined the company as market branch manager for Knoxville, Tenn. Prior to joining Nextel, Gleason served as vice president and general manager of PageNet of Indiana and also held positions with Sterling Cellular, Century Cellnet and MobileComm. In his new position, Gleason will be responsible for building and opening the Indiana wireless market for Nextel. The company said it expects to launch service there during the second quarter.
Prior to coming aboard Nextel, Cobb held the positions of business sales manager with GTE Wireless and sales representative with Motorola Inc. in Knoxville.
Bell Atlantic Mobile
Bell Atlantic Mobile named Debra Friedman Carroll vice president of marketing, responsible for developing and directing a marketing strategy for the company’s wireless products and services throughout its service area from Maine to Georgia. She will oversee corporate marketing, advertising and new product development. Carroll has 10 years of experience in the wireless industry, most recently as the company’s executive director of marketing and inside sales for the Northeast region. She succeeds John Stratton who was named president of Bell Atlantic Mobile’s Philadelphia region.
Geoworks
Geoworks Corp. appointed Hisao Shima general manager for Japan in response to growing interest in the company’s operating system there. Shima is responsible for maintaining and expanding Geoworks’ relationships with hardware manufacturers and cellular operations in Japan. Prior to joining the company, Shima was responsible for establishing Japanese operations for several U.S. and U.K.-based companies.
PCIA
The Personal Communications Industry Association announced its senior vice president and chief of staff, Alan Ciamporcero, resigned to become vice president of regulatory affairs at GTE Corp. “Since joining PCIA, Alan has contributed a great deal to our advocacy efforts,” said PCIA President Jay Kitchen. PCIA is searching for his replacement.
XypoinT
John Clark is the new vice president of operations at Xypoint Corp. He will be responsible for delivering the company’s wireless location-based services, such as wireless enhanced 911 to wireless carriers and their customers. Most recently, Clark founded Toll Free Cellular, a provider of #800 free wireless calling. He also founded a company called Sof-Tek, a network and data communications consulting firm.
Authentix Network
Authentix Network Inc. appointed David L. Smith to the newly created position of executive vice president. Most recently, Smith was president of CellTech Inc., a personal communications billing and management information company. He also served as group vice president of InterDigital Communications Corp.
Gemplus
Gemplus Corp. named Michael Crosno and Donna Jeker to its senior management team in the Silicon Valley. The company said the two will work together to develop and execute an IT-focused sales and marketing strategy for Gemplus. Crosno will be executive vice president of sales for North America. He joins the company from Eastman Kodak where he was general manager and vice president of the Americas business imaging systems division. Jeker was named vice president of strategic marketing and alliances for North and Latin America. She will oversee strategy, marketing and global technology partnerships. Her background includes positions at ViewStar and Computer Associates International.
Century Telephone
Century Telephone Enterprises Inc. promoted Wayne Davis to vice president of engineering for Century’s Telephone Group. He will be responsible for network architecture planning and the evolution of the networks to maintain industry compliance and feature deployment capabilities as defined and supported by marketing and sales, said the company. Davis has 31 years experience in the telecommunications industry, including 24 years with Century.
Century Telephone also promoted G. Clay Bailey to vice president of regulatory affairs for Century’s Telephone Group. He will direct all state regulatory activities for Century’s local exchange subsidiaries, including the development of regulatory objectives and strategies to meet the company’s overall financial and operational objectives. Bailey has been with Century for six years.
Andersen Consulting
Andersen Consulting announced David W. Andrews was named worldwide managing partner for the firm’s Communications Industry Segment. Most recently Andrews was managing partner for Andersen Consulting’s operations in France, Germany, the Benelux countries, Austria and Switzerland. He has been with the company for 23 years.
The company also announced it appointed Barry Patmore worldwide managing partner for the Communications Industry Segment’s line of business organizations. Patmore, who joined Andersen Consulting in 1966, most recently was worldwide managing partner of the firm’s process competency group. He also has served as managing partner for the Los Angeles office, managing partner for the Pacific Northwest region and managing director of information systems planning services.
Geotek Communications
William Spier was elected chairman of Geotek Communications Inc.’s board of directors. Spier has been a director of Geotek since 1990 and its chairman in 1991. He replaces Yaron Eitan, founder of the company, who will remain as Geotek’s chief executive officer until a search committee finds a successor. Eitan will remain a director of the company.
