Wireless Pioneers Join AIR2LAN Boards

    AIR2LAN has named James M. Phillips, Linda J. Martin and William M. Mounger, II to its Board of Directors as well as appointing Wirt Yerger, III to its Advisory Board. All four new members bring a wealth of experience in the fields of cellular and wireless technologies.

    James M. Phillips is Chairman & Executive Director for the FedEx Technology Institute at the University of Memphis. The mission of the Institute is to conduct world-class interdisciplinary research, produce a digitally savvy workforce, and be an evolving, dynamic resource for businesses at large. Prior to this, Phillips was Chairman & CEO of Interactive Pictures Corp.,(IPIX)in Oak Ridge, TN. IPIX was transformed from TeleRobotics, where Phillips served as Chairman. Forbes magazine has referred to IPIX as the "Kodak of the Internet". Phillips also served as Corporate Vice President and GM of the PCS and Multi-media Divisions of Motorola until he left in 1997 to join TeleRobotics. Phillips also co-founded and served as President of SkyTel, the leading national paging company in the United States. He serves on the East Tennessee Economic Council, the Tennessee Commission of Film and Music, the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce, the board of the American Museum of Science and Energy as well as several private business boards. He is also on the Tennessee Business Roundtable and has been named Businessperson of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

    Linda Martin is a founder and senior executive of PC Management; a company that owns and manages cellular, PCS, and broadband wireless businesses, primarily in second and third tier markets. PCM has launched over 15 successful, independent wireless entities. Martin is also Chief Operating Officer for its affiliate companies including West Virginia and Immix Wireless. Linda started her career in telecommunications in 1983 at Alltel Mobile, where she was Chief Marketing Officer responsible for developing the company’s cellular and paging business plans. In 1985 Linda assumed P&L responsibility for the company’s eight cellular and 12 paging markets. In 1988 Linda joined USA Mobile, an entrepreneurial startup venture where she was initially Vice President responsible for integrating 14 separate companies, and later assumed total P&L responsibility as the company’s Chief Operating Officer.

    In 1990 Linda Martin co-founded PCM with a mission to create successful entrepreneurial wireless organizations with a focus on rural and small to medium-sized markets. Martin also served on the Board of Directors or Advisory Boards for several wireless organizations.

    William M. Mounger, II currently serves as CEO of TriStar Technologies, LLC formed in 2002. He was formerly Chairman of TeleCorp PCS., Inc., the largest affiliate of AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE) prior to its merger with AT&T Wireless in 2002 in a stock for stock transaction. TeleCorp PCS provided digital wireless services under the SunCom and AT&T brands in selected markets of 37,000,000 population in fourteen states and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, encompassing 16 of the top 100 markets. Prior to TeleCorp, Mounger was Chairman and CEO of TriTel, Inc. which merged with TeleCorp in 2000. From 1990 until the formation of TriTel in 1999, he was President of Mercury Communications Company, a cellular operating company. Mounger served as Chairman of the Cellular One Advisory Council and on the Board of the Personal Communication Industry Association (PCIA). He held minority ownership in numerous MSA and RSA cellular markets. Mounger has been a member of YPO International (Young President’s Organization) since 1995. Mounger was named one of the “Top 40 Under 40 Businessmen” in Mississippi in 1995 by the Mississippi Business Journal. He was named the Ernst and Young “2000 Entrepreneur of the Year” for Mississippi and Louisiana. He is currently serving on the Jackson Advisory Council of AmSouth Bank (NYSE:ASO). In 2001, he joined the Board of Institute of Technology Development and the Mississippi Technology Alliance, public/private organizations for economic development in Mississippi. He currently Chairs CIT.ms (www.cit.ms), an initiative to expand the communications and information technology cluster in Mississippi.

    Wirt Yerger, III has actively participated in the wireless communications industry since the early days of cellular technology serving as president and chairman of the board of many wireless businesses. Currently, Mr. Yerger serves as manager of Crown Communications, LLC and PCS Licensee, American Wireless, LLC. Initially, he was an investor and board member of several wireless startups, which led to operating cellular, PCS and paging businesses. Yerger was named one of the “Top 40 Under 40” businessmen in Mississippi in1996 by the Mississippi Business Journal. He has successfully negotiated and completed many sales and acquisitions of companies. Yerger also has extensive experience in the insurance and risk management field where he served as Vice President of Ross & Yerger, Inc. for fifteen years. In the insurance field, Yerger received the highly regarded CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter) designation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Priority One Bank, a major South Mississippi full service bank, and Alaska Digitel, a leading PCS provider throughout the state of Alaska. Mr. Yerger and his family are involved in both Christian and civic organizations throughout the Jackson metropolitan area and the state of Mississippi.

    Jai Bhagat, Chairman and CEO of AIR2LAN stated, "We are most fortunate to have not one, but four individuals who bring with them extraordinary talent and vision. I am looking forward to working with them to take our company to the next level."

By Robert Hoskins

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