Qualcomm division chief walks
Qualcomm Chief Executive Irwin M. Jacobs announced Donald Schrock will retire as group president of Qualcomm’s CDMA technologies division.
Jacobs named Sanjay Jha to replace him — effective immediately.
Jha served as senior vice president and general manager of Qualcomm technologies and ventures.
A Qualcomm statement indicated that Schrock is retiring to spend more time with his family.
Antenova names new CEO
Antenova has appointed Greg McCray as chief executive officer.
Company officials insist McCray’s experience in marketing and developing communications technology businesses will be a catalyst for the next phase of Antenova’s development into a fully fledged production organization — now it has completely characterized its technology and is actively forging agreements with OEMs.
McCray takes over from Graham Cooley, who has managed Antenova through its initial phase, transforming an academic discovery into a patented and fully characterized technology.
FCC staff juggles titles
FCC Chairman Michael Powell has announced the spring departure of Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Tom Sugrue.
Powell also indicated that he plans to name John Muleta as the new WTB chief.
Powell said, “To take over this vital bureau chief position, I am turning to industry veteran and former FCC official, John Muleta, who will bring extensive experience and leadership to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Commission at a critical time.”
Muleta is the president and CEO of Source 1 Technologies, a privately held systems integration firm based in Washington, D.C.
In a separate announcmeent, Powell also revealed a staffing change in his own office. Powell named confidential assistant Antonia McGowan deputy agenda and publications group manager in the Office of the Secretary.
Judith Mann will succeed McGowan as confidential assistant to Chairman Powell.
Pocket PC Films shuffles board
Los Angeles-based Pocket PC Filmshas announced that Brian Shuster, chairman, president and CEO, of United Internet Technologies, will be named chairman of the board of directors.
At that time, former Vivitar CEO and Chairman Yoshitaro Kumagai also joined the company’s advisory board.
Shuster’s primary focus will be to pull together a syndication of studios for high-profile content.
Brian Shuster was the chairman, president, and CEO of UIT, a technology and software developer that connects consumer electronic devices to the Internet and other digital systems.
Shuster, along with software engineers, developed the technology called DIVO, a system that allows full-motion video with the Internet over standard telephone lines.
Kumagai has spent more than 20 years developing electronics and consumer goods. An industry veteran, Kumagai served as chairman and CEO of Vivitar Corp. from 1997-99.
Law firm announces telecom hires
Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis announced that Michael Nilsson, a former aide to U.S. Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.V., has rejoined the firm as an associate and that Maureen Flood, formerly director of regulatory and state affairs at the Competitive Telecommunications Association (CompTel), has joined the firm as a telecom policy analyst.
Nilsson served as legislative assistant and counsel to Rockefeller on telecommunications issues after a previous stint with the firm. Nilsson will return to the firm’s telecommunications practice, focusing on FCC and legislative matters.
As director of regulatory and state affairs, Flood represented CompTel members in state and federal regulatory and legislative proceedings. Before joining CompTel, Flood served as the principal telecommunications analyst for the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Flood also will join the firm’s telecommunications practice, focusing on state and federal wireline issues.
Orbital Recovery taps insurance expert
Orbital Recovery Corp. has appointed Kirby Ikin the company’s senior vice president of risk management.
Ikin has extensive experience in the space insurance and risk management sectors, which he will apply to Orbital Recovery’s development of a unique space tug to extend the operational lifetimes of in-orbit telecommunications satellites.
Ikin was a space insurance underwriter at GIO in Australia for 10 years, and became managing director of GIO Space in 1998. He subsequently was responsible for the planned commercial operations at the Asia-Pacific Space Centre, and continued on its board after returning full time to Austen Greer Consulting.
Active for many years in the Australian space industry, Ikin is a member of the federal government’s International Space Advisory Group, which is advising the Australian Prime Minister’s office on space policy and industry development.
He also is Chairman of the Board of the U.S.-based National Space Society.
