New Enterprise Associates
New Enterprise Associates, a Palo Alto, Calif. venture capital
firm, appointed Nobel Laureate Arno A. Penzias as a partner. Penzias is the senior technology adviser for Lucent
Technologies Inc. He has written two books, Ideas and Information and Digital Harmony. Penzias won the 1978 Nobel
Prize in Physics for his contribution to the understanding of astrophysics and for his advancement of the Big Bang
theory of the origin of the universe.
Glenayre Technologies
Amir Zoufonoun is the new general manager of the
Glenayre Western Multiplex operating division of Glenayre Technologies Inc. Zoufonoun had been serving as acting
general manager of the unit since May and previously served as its vice president of engineering. He joined the
company in 1989. Glenayre also hired Scott T. Staley and Kenneth D. Munro as sales executives for GWM. Formerly
an area sales manager for Harris Farinon, Staley is the new sales manager for the Southeast region. Munro is the new
sales manager for the North Central region. He came to GWM from Wireless Inc., where he was director of North
America sales.
AMSC
American Mobile Satellite Corp. appointed Dan Croft vice president of messaging
services, a newly created position. Croft previously was vice president of marketing at Ardis, which AMSC bought
early last year.
Comcast Cellular
Jim Smith was promoted to director of engineering operations for Comcast
Cellular Communications Inc. He will be responsible for all switch and cell site operations, the network operations
center and the network services group. In the past 11 years with Comcast Cellular, Smith has held several management
positions including network operations center manager and switch supervisor and engineering systems administrator.
Marshall Bon Tempo was promoted to director of network engineering. He will be responsible for Comcast Cellular’s
fixed network and management of the company’s relationships with local exchange carriers. He worked for Southern
New England Telephone before joining Comcast Cellular in 1996.
AirTouch Communications
AirTouch
Communications Inc. appointed Brian Jones senior vice president of marketing and Terry Kramer vice president of
human resources and corporate services. Jones previously headed human resources. A 14-year veteran of AirTouch,
Jones also was formerly president of AirTouch Cellular. He replaces Ujjal Kohli, who is leaving to start a Bay Area
venture capital fund. Kramer will leave his position as the vice president of business development, Europe, to assume
Jones’ former responsibilities. In his 11-year career with AirTouch, Kramer has run major paging, cellular and
international operations, and has served as executive director of investor relations and corporate
communications.
Motorola
Motorola Inc. reported Leonard Kolsky, a 34-year veteran of the company, exited as
a full-time employee on Dec. 31. However, Kolsky’s association with Motorola will continue in his role as a consultant
as part of a non-exclusive agreement that runs through at least 1999. Kolsky said he also is exploring an “of
counsel” relationship with an established law firm.
Andrew
Andrew Corp. promoted John DeSana to
group president of Heliax Products. He will be responsible for the corporation’s Heliax cable, connectors, assemblies
and accessories product lines. William Currer, group president of communications systems, left Andrew Corp. Thomas
Charlton, group president of communication products, will assume Currer’s responsibilities. Andrew Corp. also hired
former Ericsson employee, Alan Haase, as vice president of terrestrial microwave products. The company also
appointed Barry Houlihan vice president of international services. He will identify and pursue new business
opportunities for Andrew Corp.
AMTA
The American Mobile Telecommunications Association named Louise
P. Tucker vice president for communications and association services. She will be responsible for all aspects of
AMTA’s communication efforts, membership recruitment and retention, public relations and conference management.
She also will serve as a director of AMTA’s sister association, the International Mobile Telecommunications
Association. She succeeded Lynne Mallonee who left in September.
HighwayMaster
HighwayMaster
Communications Inc. announced its chairman and co-founder, William C. Saunders, resigned “to pursue other
interests.” Replacing him as interim chairman will be Vice Chairman William C. Kennedy Jr., until a new
chairman is chosen. The company also announced W. Michael Smith was named senior vice president and chief
financial officer, replacing Jana Bell, who in September was named president and chief executive officer. Smith
previously was vice president of finance and chief financial officer at TPN Inc., a digital satellite programming firm.
Before that, he was vice president of finance and controller at AT&T Wireless Services Inc.
Cable &
Wireless
Cable & Wireless plc announced Rod Olsen, executive director of its Asia Pacific region, will retire on
March 31. Olsen joined the company in Hong Kong in 1976. He has been a board member since 1986. In his 22 years
with Cable & Wireless, Olsen held the positions of executive director of finance, acting chief executive and deputy
chief executive. Following his retirement, Olsen will continue to be a non-executive director of Cable & Wireless
Optus in Australia.
Sprint
Sprint Spectrum L.P. appointed Jay Highley, its former regional vice president of
national accounts, to vice president of the business customer strategic business unit. He will be responsible for
overseeing operations and planning for the unit. Before joining Sprint PCS, Highley served in various capacities in
Sprint’s local telecommunications and long distance divisions, and worked for 3M Co. as well. Sprint PCS also
appointed Jon-Scott Dixon, former director of electronic commerce at Insight-a global direct marketer of computers,
hardware and software-to vice president of electronic commerce. He will be responsible for the development and
execution of the Sprint PCS Internet commerce sales channel.
Nth Dimension
Thomas Gosner Jr. joined Nth
Dimension Corp. as senior vice president of business development. Gosner is responsible for developing and
implementing new business strategies and negotiating acquisitions and alliances. Prior to joining the company, Gosner
was a founding member and director of sales and marketing with Wildfire Communications Inc.’s Enterprise products
division. Gosner also has worked for iNEO Corp., AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Apple Computer Inc.
National
Telemanagement
National Telemanagement Corp. named Lance Shipp chief financial officer. Shipp has more than
14 years experience managing fast growth companies and held a variety of executive positions with companies such as
CNET Inc. and Micronyx Inc. He will oversee NTC’s financial direction, business planning, personnel management
and corporate administration groups. Don N. Wilkins was named vice president of operations for NTC. Prior to joining
the company, Wilkins served as senior vice president of network services for AMR Corp. and worked for The Sabre
Group where he was responsible for the engineering and delivery of all voice, data, wireless and video networking
services. He has nearly 25 years management experience.
Nextel
Nextel Communications Inc. promoted Mike
Harrison to branch manager in Raleigh, N.C. He had served as the sales manager in Nextel’s Charlotte, N.C., office
since joining Nextel in April. Harrison oversees the sales and service departments in both the Raleigh office and the
mid-South area headquarters in Cary, N.C
.
