Movers and Shakers: Schmitt, Coleman lead xG; ExteNet names Timm CFO; and more

George Schmitt has been named CEO of MB Technology Holdings L.L.C., which holds a 39.72% interest in xG Technology. Schmitt will be tasked with helping xG develop and market its intellectual property, products and technology in the cognitive radio network space. Schmitt has more than 45 years of experience in the telecom industry, most recently as CEO of e.spire Communications. He also has held positions with Omnipoint Communications, LHS Group, Objective Systems Integrators, PCS PrimeCo and AirTouch Communications. John Coleman has been appointed CEO of xG, succeeding Rick Mooers, who will become executive chairman of the board. Coleman has served as a member of xG’s advisory board since March and was appointed COO in June.
ExteNet Systems Inc. named Dan Timm executive vice president and chief financial officer. Timm joins the company from private equity firm GTCR Golder Rauner L.L.C., where he was a principal and served as a director for several public and private companies. He also has held positions with Chatham Technologies and The Bruss Company.
Brian Alton has joined SensorLogic as the company’s new chief financial officer. Previously, Alton was CFO at RipCode, and he has also served as CFO and consultant for Ignite Technologies, Tango Networks and Cyneta Networks.
Ciena Corp. announced Rick Dodd has joined the company as senior vice president of global marketing where he will oversee field, product, solutions and corporate marketing organizations and provide strategic support to the company’s global field operations and global products group. Most recently, Dodd was vice president of corporate marketing at Infinera.
Syniverse Technologies named John E. Walker vice president of marketing communications, where he will lead the company’s integrated marketing communications efforts aimed at global customer and partner audiences. Walker joins the company from Edelman, where he most recently was executive vice president and Southeast corporate practice lead.
Sirpa Nordlund was named executive director of Mobey Forum, succeeding Liisa Kannianen, who stepped down last month. Nordlund previously led sales efforts in certain European markets for Giesecke & Devrient subsidiary Venyon, and she also held R&D roles in near field communications with Nokia.
The GSM Association announced Franco Bernabe has been elected chairman of the association’s board for a two-year term that will end Dec. 2012. Bernabe is chief executive officer of Telecom Italia. Jon Fredrik Baksaas, president and CEO of Telenor Group, was elected deputy chairman. The remainder of the board includes: Alejandro Magana P