Wireless Pioneers Plan October Dinner Celebrating 25 Years of Cellular

Chicago Reunion to Kick Off Wireless History Initiative

HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO, June 5, 2008—A group of wireless telecommunications leaders committed to preserving the history of the industry for future generations today announced plans for a dinner celebrating the 25th anniversary of the launch of cellular communications. The event, Cellular 25, is scheduled for Oct. 13 in Chicago.

The Cellular 25 celebration marks the kickoff for the Wireless History Initiative (WHI), a broad-based, non-profit industry foundation forming to preserve and promote the history of wireless telecommunications through professional networking and educational outreach to the general public. WHI also plans to document the paging, public safety, and private radio services that pre-date cellular. Some of these offerings existed as early as the 1920s.

The Cellular 25 evening celebration reuniting pioneers of the wireless industry will follow a ceremony at Soldiers Field in Chicago earlier that day, marking the launch of cellular telecommunications. CTIA — The Wireless Industry Association® is sponsoring that program and is co-sponsoring the Cellular 25 event. Plans for the evening, including a reception and dinner, are designed to allow maximum time for re-establishing professional and social connections.

The Initiative was launched by Arlene Harris, Founder, Jitterbug and CBSI, now Convergys.; Elizabeth Maxfield, Attorney, former Senior Vice President, CTIA, and Founder, CIBERNET; and Judith (Lockwood) Purcell, Managing Director, Coracle Group LLC and Founding Editor of RCR Wireless News, Wireless Week, and other telecom business publications.

"This is a timely and deserving initiative," said John Stanton, Founder, Trilogy Partners and Western Wireless Corp. "Wireless is one of the great success stories in this country, the poster child for competition and innovation. I support the goal of recording the history of the industry so the lessons of wireless can energize future generations of entrepreneurs and innovators."

Initial supporters of the Oct. 13 celebration and WHI include (in alphabetical order):

• Jack Brennan, Retired, former CEO, Metro Mobile
• Jim Caile, Chairman, Telecommunications Industry Association's Wireless Communications Division and former Corporate Vice President, Motorola
• Martin Cooper, Founder and Chairman, ArrayComm, and former Vice President R&D, Motorola
• James A. Dwyer, Chairman, Interop Technologies, and former President, Wireless One Network, American Cellular Telephone, and Independent Cellular Network
• Sheila MB Griffin, President, Griffin Holdings, Inc. and Strategic Marketing Officer, Retired, Motorola, Inc.; Member, Cellular Start-up Team and General Manager, Research and Information, Ameritech Mobile Communications; Motorola Manager, Baltimore/Washington Cellular Market Trial
• Mal Gurian, President and CEO, Mal Gurian Associates LLC, and former President and CEO, OKI Telecom Cellular Telephone Division
• James J. Healy, Vice President-Industry Alliances, T-Mobile, and former Chair, GSM Association
• Len Kolsky, Of Counsel, Lukas, Nace, Gutierrez & Sachs, and former Vice President and Director, Global Telecom Relations, Motorola
• Dr. Joyce Gab Kneeland, Director, Master of Science in Communication Program, Northwestern University and former Senior Vice President, U.S. Cellular Corp.
• Joy A. Nemitz, Senior Vice President-Market Development, TARGUSinfo, formerly Assistant Vice President, GTE-TSI
• Richard D. Lane, Wireless Consultant, former senior executive with Pacific Bell Mobile Services and CellularOne New York
• Gerald McGowan, Board Member, Boston Communications Group, Inc., and former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal
• James B. Murray Jr., Founder and Partner, Court Square Ventures and Author of Wireless Nation, formerly Founder and Partner of Columbia Capital
• Emily Nelms, formerly with Motorola and American Radio Telephone Service
• Morgan O’Brien, Founder, Cyren Call and Nextel Communications
• Graham Randolph, Consultant-Market Development, TESSCO Technologies, former Vice President and COO, American Radio Telephone Service, and former Chairman, Telocator
• Liz Sachs, Senior Partner, Lukas, Nace, Gutierrez & Sachs, and former Attorney, Motorola Government Relations
• John Stanton, Founder, Trilogy Partners and Western Wireless Corp.
• John Stupka, former CEO, Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems and SkyTel
• Sue Swenson, CEO Sage Software, and former President and COO, Leap Wireless
• Paul Tobin, Founder, Boston Communications Group, Inc., and former President, CellularOne Boston/Worcester and Portsmouth, NH
• Kari-Pekka (K.P.) Wilska, Venture Partner, Austin Ventures, and former President of Nokia, Inc.

Many more individuals involved in the early years of wireless are expected to join this list. In addition to these industry notables, Crain's RCR Wireless News, one of the industry's earliest business publications, plans to integrate its long-standing Wireless Hall of Fame awards program into the new foundation and supports 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 Publisher and Editorial Director.

"We are planning a landmark occasion with attendees who were instrumental in creating and commercializing this great industry 25 years ago and even earlier," said Harris. "Individuals and trade associations across the industry have responded enthusiastically to our organizing efforts, and we look forward to building upon this strong momentum."

"We are pleased to support this celebration honoring the individuals who created a new world of wireless," said David Diggs, Vice President and Executive Director, The Wireless Foundation (CTIA), and former Market Research and Planning Manager, American Radio Telephone Service. "We look forward to working with WHI as it engages pioneers, as well as people everywhere, in the compelling past and future of wireless."

The independent WHI intends to capture information about the people, organizations, and technologies that propelled wireless telecommunications from its experimental phase to a form of communications, information, and entertainment with 258 million subscribers in the United States alone. The first WHI project will be the launch of a comprehensive Web site preserving the colorful history of wireless.

Individuals interested in attending the Oct. 13 event or reserving tables may email cellular25@earthlink.net. For information on corporate sponsorships for the celebration, please email cellular25sponsor@coraclegroup.com.

About the Wireless History Initiative
Founded by experienced leaders in the wireless industry, the Wireless History Initiative (WHI) seeks to educate and inspire future generations about the significance and growth of wireless telecommunications. Forming in 2008, the non-profit Initiative is developing programs that build community within the industry and preserve its rich and colorful history. The Initiative also intends to educate consumers and businesses regarding the many ways in which wireless adds convenience, productivity, and enrichment to everyday life. Currently working with existing wireless trade associations, WHI welcomes sponsorship and volunteer inquiries.

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