Wireless Internet Service Providers Association CEO Claude Aiken to Step Down in April 2022
Aiken helped elevate the profile of the wireless association in Washington.
WASHINGTON, February 9, 2022 – The Wireless Internet Service Providers Associations on Wednesday announced the departure of CEO Claude Aiken. Aiken’s official last day at the association will be April 30, 2022.
Aiken, a former official in the office of Federal Communications Commissioner (and former acting chairwoman) Mignon Clyburn, worked to elevate the profile of the association in Washington. Prior to Aiken’s tenure, the association was led by volunteer executives or board members.
In his role as CEO since March 2018, Aiken helped bring WISPA into more of the broadband and telecommunications policy debates here.
Aiken was a frequent guest on Broadband Breakfast programs, including Broadband Breakfast Live Online in January 2022.
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“We are grateful for the four years in which he helped us grow and we wish Claude much success in the future,” said Todd Harpest, WISPA Chairman. “Claude has been a positive impact on WISPA and the thousands of innovators and entrepreneurs who are laser-focused on providing better connectivity across the world. Although Claude has elected to not renew his contract with WISPA, he will remain at WISPA until the end of April 2022 and has made himself available even after that. For that, we are thankful. Thank you, Claude.”
Todd further added: “We hope to see many of you at WISPAmerica 2022 (March 14-17) in New Orleans. This will be a great time to thank Claude for his service. Also, you will not want to miss the Broadband Billions Bootcamp on Monday (March 14), and learn about the newest industry advancements throughout the week.”
Claude indicated that he has been grateful for the opportunity and thanked WISPA and its members for placing trust in the association and in his leadership.
“The future, of WISPA and its members, is bright. It continually amazes me how much our members can accomplish, and this role has been one of the greatest joys of my professional career. Incredible volunteer leaders and dedicated staff have come together to accomplish things that I couldn’t have imagined possible when I first started in 2018,” said Aiken.
WISPA members continue to bring ingenuity and innovation to the communications industry. Said both Aiken and Harpest: “We are seeing members deploy fiber optic and hybrid fixed-wireless networks driving faster speeds and better service to homes and businesses. WISPA is a home for all technologies, enabling broadband operators to connect and bridge the digital divide in urban, rural, and remote communities.”
WISPA has organized a search committee for a CEO, with an outreach email for interested parties to SelectionCommittee@wispa.org.
WISPA is composed of about 1,000 members. These wireless internet service providers are part of what the association described as an evolving industry that supports fixed broadband connectivity, including equipment suppliers, support services, and other components.
Aiken is also scheduled as a forthcoming guest on Broadband.Money’s “Ask Me Anything!” series on March 11, 2022. The event will take place immediately prior to the WISPAmerica show, Aiken’s last as CEO.
