Motorola
Motorola Inc. appointed Dennis Roberson vice president and chief technology officer. Roberson reports to Merle L. Gilmore, president, Europe, Middle East and Africa. As president, EMEA, Gilmore also oversees the company’s corporate technical staff functions. Roberson succeeds William Bruan, who retired as senior vice president and director of corporate research and development. Roberson comes to Motorola form NCR Corp., where he has been senior vice president and chief technology officer in Columbia, S.C. At Motorola, he will have operating responsibility for the corporate technology labs and will facilitate coordination of technology development across the corporation. Before joining NCR in 1994, Roberson held engineering and research positions with AT&T Bell Labs, IBM Corp. and Digital Equipment Corp. He has led organizations involved in the development of software, networking, microprocessors and computer systems.
GTE Wireless
Lindsey Burroughs has taken over as president for GTE Wireless in the San Diego area. Burroughs has held numerous executive and management positions at GTE in wireless field operations, marketing communications and regulatory and legislative matters. Prior to her employment with GTE, Burroughs held management positions at a local exchange telephone company and with the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission. In her new assignment, Burroughs will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the GTE Wireless operations in San Diego. With 12 wireless retail locations and more than 200 agent locations, GTE provides wireless telecommunications products and services to several hundred thousand subscribers in San Diego.
Geotek
William Spier, a member of Geotek Communications Inc.’s board of directors, was elected chairman of the board. Spier has been a director of Geotek since 1990, and was director from 1991 to 1992. Spier replaces Yaron Eitan, who recommended Spier as his successor. Eitan will remain as Geotek’s chief executive officer while a search committee looks for a successor to fill that office at Eitan’s request. Eitan, who was founder of the company, will remain as director.
Allegiance Telecom
Reed Hundt, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, joined Allegiance Telecom Inc.’s board of directors. Hundt also is the chairman of the Forum on Communication and Society at The Aspen Institute. FOCAS is a chief executive officer-level body, convened by the Institute Commission and Society Program, which annually addresses subjects relating to the societal impact of the communications and information sectors. Under Hundt’s leadership the FCC wrote rules that fostered competition, including the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The FCC also helped in the completion of the World Trade Organization Telecommunications Agreement, which opened international markets to U.S. companies.
AirTouch Cellular
AirTouch Cellular named Jeff Chessher vice president of Network Operations in its Southern California region, based in Irvine, Calif. Prior to his new position, Chessher was the network director for AirTouch’s Sacramento market. In his new position, he will be responsible for establishing new cell sites across the Southern California coverage area, including the company’s planned 22,000 square-mile expansion into the California desert that is expected to allow AirTouch customers to use their wireless phones to the Nevada and Arizona borders by September. Chessher, a 35-year industry veteran, was one of the first AirTouch employees. He started his career in telecommunications in 1962 with Nevada Bell, where he was responsible for microwave engineering and planning. Prior to joining AirTouch, Chessher did forecasting and planning for AT&T Corp.
