The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) today announced that Cathy Piche, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Towers, Crown Castle, has joined WIA’s Board of Directors and Alex Gellman, Vertical Bridge Executive Chairman and Co-Founder, was elected Chair. Piche, who was also elected to serve as Vice-Chair, will replace Crown Castle President & CEO Jay Brown on the Board. Gellman will succeed SBA Communications President and CEO Jeff Stoops as Chair, while Stoops will continue to serve on the Board as Treasurer.
Cathy Piche
The new WIA Board of Directors officers are as follows:
- Chair: Alex Gellman, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder, Vertical Bridge
- Vice-Chair: Cathy Piche, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Towers, Crown Castle
- Secretary: Steve Vondran, Executive Vice President and President, U.S. Tower Division, American Tower
- Treasurer: Jeff Stoops, President & CEO, SBA Communications
Additional Directors include Todd Boyer, CEO, TowerCo; Ed Farscht, CEO, Diamond Communications; Len Forkas, President and Founder, Milestone Towers; Tom Kane, CEO and Managing Member, NB+C; Dagan Kasavana, CEO, Phoenix Tower International.
“WIA’s focused and strong leadership on state and federal policy issues and workforce development initiatives is critical to the success of the wireless infrastructure industry. I look forward to working with my fellow Board members on the important work that WIA does every day on behalf of its members,” said Alex Gellman, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder, Vertical Bridge.
“I am honored to join the WIA Board of Directors,” said Piche. “I’m looking forward to taking an active role on the Board to help further our common goal of connectivity for all across the U.S.”
“I’m thrilled to welcome Cathy Piche to WIA’s Board of Directors and delighted that she will serve as Vice-Chair alongside our newly elected Chair, Alex Gellman,” said WIA President and CEO Patrick Halley. “Cathy will be an important voice on WIA’s Board, complimenting the talented and experienced leaders in our industry already serving on the Board who have helped WIA become the advocacy powerhouse and leader we are today. I am also incredibly grateful for Jay Brown’s many years of service, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him in the future to move our industry forward.
“I’m also grateful to Alex Gellman for stepping up to lead the Board. I have no doubt that the entire industry will benefit from his experience and judgement at the helm as we work to enable connectivity everywhere. I’d like to thank Jeff Stoops for his vision and leadership these past two years as Chair, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside him.
“Lastly, I’d like to thank David Weisman for his many years of service on the Board and wish him well in all his future endeavors.”
