Communications Veteran To Play Key Role In Broadband
Program
AirCell announced
Friday the appointment of Thomas E. Weigman to the position of
Senior Vice President, Wireless Services.
Company representatives tell ANN with extensive experience in
marketing and business, Weigman will be responsible for driving the
service design, marketing programs and customer care capabilities
for AirCell's new broadband service, scheduled to go online by
early 2008. In this position, he will be based at AirCell's new
Chicago facility.
"We're delighted to welcome Tom to our history-making team,"
said Jack Blumenstein, AirCell President and CEO. "His vast
experience in fixed and wireless communications and in consumer
marketing will be an invaluable resource as we create an
outstanding range of broadband experiences for the nation's
airlines, business aircraft, and passengers."
Weigman spent years in senior leadership positions with Sprint,
including his appointment as the company's first-ever Chief
Marketing Officer. His effort involved initiatives in the company's
Consumer, Enterprise, International and Wholesale markets,
requiring immersion in the management and development of both voice
and data communications products. He was asked to lead Sprint's
initial forays into the world of multimedia, and was actively
involved in the emergence and integration of Sprint's PCS
business.
He was named President of Sprint's Consumer Long Distance
Division, which he drove to record subscriber counts and
profitability behind advertising copy featuring Candice Bergen and
her immortal "Dime Lady," the restoration of Sprint's "Pin Drop,"
and a substantial and persistent focus on new products and product
improvements.
Earlier in his career, Weigman held marketing and sales roles at
such noteworthy consumer packaged goods companies as Procter and
Gamble and Mars, Inc. He also spent seven years at the Marketing
Corporation of America, building a consulting franchise with
clientele that included Quaker Oats, Kraft and Nabisco, and gaining
extensive experience in top-level business and marketing strategy,
brand positioning, and innovative approaches to distribution.
Most recently, with the Riverstone Group and MCAworks consulting
firms, Weigman provided strategic marketing direction to
consumer-oriented technology and communications services companies
involved in wireless, broadband and video-focused markets.
Weigman received a B.S. in Engineering from Lehigh University
and an M.B.A. - with distinction - from the Wharton School of the
University of Pennsylvania.
After winning the exclusive FCC broadband frequency license at
auction earlier this year, AirCell reports rapid progress in its
effort to bring affordable wireless broadband service to domestic
airlines and their passengers. At initial launch, AirCell's
broadband service will include Wi-Fi hotspots that allow airline
passengers to surf the Internet, use e-mail, and log on to their
corporate VPNs using their personal 802.11b/g-equipped Wi-Fi data
devices.
The system will offer voice service for airline operational
communications and provide a path to a wealth of future cabin
services including cellular data, integration of live and on-board
content delivery, premium content, and additional airline features
such as operational/crew data applications and security.