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Wireless History Foundation Announces 2013 Inductees for Wireless Hall of Fame
AUSTIN, Texas --(Business Wire)--
The Wireless History Foundation (WHF) announced today four individuals
who will be inducted into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame during
the Foundation's Oct. 15, 2013 dinner in San Jose, CA (News - Alert) at the Fairmont
Hotel. The 2013 inductees are:
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George Schmitt- George Schmitt has broad telecom experience in
wireless and wireline companies gained over a 40-year career. At
Pacific Telesis, he was responsible for building the first GSM system
in the world in Germany for the Mannesmann consortium. As President of
Omnipoint, he built the largest American PCS network at the time and
was on the forefront of advanced wireless technologies including GSM,
GPRS packet data, EDGE, positioning and Internet access. As Executive
Vice President of International Operations for AirTouch, he built the
world's first CDMA network in South Korea. He also served as the first
American Chair of the GSM Association.
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Kris Rinne-With more than 30 years of experience in the telecom
industry, Kris Rinne's early leadership in deploying GSM technology in
the U.S. set the stage for the success of the 3GPP family of
technologies. She has served many roles at AT&T (News - Alert), where she is
currently SVP Network Technologies, AT&T Labs, and oversaw the HSPA
rollout. She formerly held the position of Vice President Technology
Strategy for SBC Wireless and Managing Director Operations at
Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems. She has also contributed to the
industry as the Chairperson of the Board of Governors at 3G Americas (News - Alert),
LLC, and as a Director of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry
Solutions (ATIS).
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Mark Warner- Mark Warner was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 from
the Commonwealth of Virginia and served as Governor of Virginia from
2002 to 200. Before entering public office, Senator Warner was
Managing Director of Columbia Capital, a venture capital firm, and
invested in many startups in the cellular telephone business. He was
one of the initial investors in FleetCall, the company that became
Nextel. Through these ventures, he either founded or co-founded MRW
Enterprises, Capital Cellular and Columbia Cellular.
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Craig Farrill-Craig has a long record of leadership and experience in
the wireless industry. Early in his 38-year career, he worked with
Communications Industries, one of the first modern wireless companies.
He also served as Chief Technology Officer for major international
wireless carriers including Vodafone (News - Alert) AirTouch Plc, PacTel Corp. and
AirTouch Communications. He is a founder of the CDMA Development Group
(CDG), an international industry association furthering digital
wireless technology. He is one of the original board members of the
First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), and served as acting
general manager during its organizational phase.
"We are honored to welcome these individuals into the Wireless Hall of
Fame. Their achievements in the wireless industry continue the level of
excellence and accomplishment that members of the Wireless Hall of Fame
represent," said WHF Board member Rob Mechaley, CEO of Mobilesphere
Holdings LLC, and Chairman of the 2013 selection committee.
The Wireless Hall of Fame dinner will take place at the Fairmont
Hotel San Jose on Tuesday, Oct. 15, the evening before the MobileCON™
2013 tradeshow. For additional information or to participate as a
sponsor of the 2013 Wireless Hall of Fame dinner, please contact Liz
Maxfield at liz (at) wirelesshistoryfoundation dot org.
The Wireless Hall of Fame program recognizes outstanding achievement
across all disciplines of the wireless industry. Thirty-six individuals
have been inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame through 2012. The 2013
selection committee was composed of an anonymous panel of Hall of Fame
members.
About the Wireless History Foundation
The Wireless History Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
that educates and inspires future generations about the significance and
growth of wireless telecommunications. Formed in 2008, the WHF develops
programs that build community within the industry to preserve its rich
and colorful history. WHF also chronicles the evolution of markets and
technology, the contributions of numerous organizations and the
achievements of individuals, all of which fueled the growth of wireless
communications and continue to add convenience, productivity and
enrichment to everyday life. www.wirelesshistoryfoundation.org
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