Hall of Fame Inductees were (from left) William E. Kennard, Brad Horwitz, Andrea Goldsmith, and Everett Dobson
Four well-known and highly-respected individuals joined the 80 wireless industry pioneers and innovators inducted into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame. The event, hosted by the Wireless History Foundation (WHF), a nonprofit organization that has honored the hall of fame members for over fifteen years, celebrated Everett Dobson, Andrea Goldsmith, Brad Horwitz, and William E. Kennard.
A large contingent of NATE members attended the event. Previous honorees from the wireless infrastructure industry include Bill Carlson, Pat Cipov, and Jim Tracy.
“We were so happy to highlight the accomplishments of the Hall of Fame Class of 2024,” said Jenifer Snyder, Executive Director of the Wireless History Foundation. “Their innovations and contributions in wireless infrastructure, technology, and policy have paved the way for the industry’s evolution and growth. Our existing 80 Hall of Fame members and program sponsors are honored to welcome this amazing group of individuals into the Hall of Fame.”
Honored at the awards dinner yesterday in Washington, D.C., were:
Everett Dobson – Rural independent wireless provider and leader, founder of Dobson Communications Corp., now part of AT&T, and former long-time CTIA board member.
Andrea Goldsmith – Dean of Electrical Engineering at Princeton University, pioneer of modern modulation and coding techniques and MIMO technology, Board member at Intel, Crown Castle, and Medtronic, and leader at IEEE and the Marconi Society.
Brad Horwitz – Manager at McCaw Cellular, founder of Western Wireless International, a founder and COO of SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited, and activist in many international wireless organizations.
William E. Kennard – Former FCC Chairman leading the FCC to modernize its spectrum policies, former Ambassador to the European Union, and current Independent Chairman of the Board of Directors at AT&T.
In addition, the Foundation was proud to announce four scholars as recipients of the Wireless Hall of Fame Scholarship Program, which seeks to provide scholarships for students pursuing a course of study in, or related to, the wireless industry, including areas such as law, policy, and engineering. Hedy Lamarr was also honored posthumously with the inaugural Wireless Pioneer Recognition for her contributions to the industry.