Broadlink Expands Board
SANTA ROSA, CA. (February 1, 2001) -- BroadLink Communications, Inc., a next-generation wireless broadband carrier headquartered in Santa Rosa, CA, today announced the appointments of Stephen E. Pazian, Chairman and CEO of SoCal Ventures and Haitham S. Al-Khaled, a Director of the Arab Financial Consulting Company and the head of Planning and Systems Development for Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) of Kuwait, to the Company's Board of Directors. Both individuals bring a wealth of telecommunication expertise and executive skill to BroadLink's rapidly expanding business.
Mr. Pazian brings considerable experience to the Board to support BroadLink's achievement of its business plan and overall objectives. At SoCal Ventures, Pazian oversees a start-up business accelerator focused on maximizing the value of start-up companies. Additionally, as President and CEO of Edison Enterprises, Pazian grew this three-company start-up divisions from $7 million to $200 million in annual revenue in two years. He has also held executive positions with Ameritech Security Monitoring, BellSouth's MobileComm subsidiary and Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems.
Robert Handell, CEO and President of BroadLink Communications stated, "Steve's extensive experience managing the profitable growth of wireless telecom companies coupled with his significant business management experience will be extremely valuable to BroadLink's management team as we face the challenge of growing the company to meet the huge unmet demand for broadband access to the Internet."
Mr. Al-Khaled supervised the introduction of the first GSM (Digital Cellular) system in Kuwait and oversaw the planning and implementation of the first SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) Fiber Optic network in Kuwait. In his management role with MTC, Mr. Al-Khaled was responsible for the rollout and expansion of the GSM network to the current capacity of 550,000 subscribers and the introduction of Intelligent Networks (IN) and other Value Added Services. Al-Khaled is currently supervising the expansion of MTC's Mobile (GSM), Microwave, Optical Fiber, Infrared and HDSL-based networks in addition to the planning of the role-out of GPRS and UMTS Networks. Mr. Al-Khaled is also a Board Member for the Arab Financial Consultants Company and Arab Telecom Company. Handell added, "Mr. Al-Khaled's brings to BroadLink and the Board, a rare combination of great depth of experience in the wireless communications industry and an expertise in the financial requirements of rolling out a national company---it's a perfect fit."
Warren Linney, Board President echoed Handell's enthusiasm, "We are extremely pleased to welcome individuals with credentials of this caliber to BroadLink's Board, the vast business experience of both Mr. Pazian and Mr. Al-Khaleb, coupled with their combined knowledge of the wireless communications business, will be of great benefit to BroadLink Communications as we begin to roll out our services to new markets."