Cellular 25 kicks off

A group of wireless leaders interested in the history of the industry announced plans for Oct. 13 in Chicago to host a dinner celebrating the 25th anniversary of the launch of cellular communications.
The Cellular 25 event will include a ceremony at Soldiers Field – where the first cellular phone call was made Oct. 13, 1983 – sponsored by CTIA. A reception and dinner will follow, sponsored by the Wireless History Initiatve.
The celebration also will mark the launch of the Wireless History Initiative, a non-profit industry foundation that aims to preserve and promote the history of wireless through professional networking and educational outreach to the public. In addition to cellular communications, the group will include paging, public-safety and private radio services in its scope.
The initiative was created by Arlene Harris, founder of Jitterbug and CBSI, now Convergys.; Elizabeth Maxfield, attorney and former senior vice president of CTIA, and founder of CIBERNET; and Judith (Lockwood) Purcell, managing director of Coracle Group L.L.C. and founding editor of RCR Wireless News and other telecom business publications.
RCR Wireless News, which is one of the industry’s earliest publications, plans to integrate its Wireless Hall of Fame awards program into the new foundation and support its work.
“This is the beginning of an active effort to continue providing deserved recognition for industry luminaries for years to come,” said Alan Bergstein, RCR Wireless News publisher and editorial director.
Initial supporters of the Oct. 13 celebration and WHI include Jack Brennan, Jim Caile, Martin Cooper, James A. Dwyer, Sheila MB Griffin, Mal Gurian, James J. Healy, Len Kolsky, Dr. Joyce Gab Kneeland, Joy A. Nemitz, Richard D. Lane, Gerald McGowan, James B. Murray Jr., Emily Nelms, Morgan O’Brien, Graham Randolph, Liz Sachs, John Stanton, John Stupka, Sue Swenson, Paul Tobin and Kari-Pekka (K.P.) Wilska.
Individuals interested in attending the Oct. 13 event or reserving tables may e-mail cellular25@earthlink.net. For information on corporate sponsorships for the celebration, please e-mail cellular25sponsor@coraclegroup.com.