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In today’s interconnected world, the smooth functioning of various industries heavily relies on uninterrupted and dependable connections. As threats to workflow, data security, and national defense loom from all directions, only a few select companies have manufactured and provided reliable 5G services facilitating seamless communication and ensuring the success of critical missions.
These achievements would not have been possible without 5G leaders whose expertise in the field helped shape the 5G landscape. Learn more about the executives who played key roles in propelling the 5G industry forward. Delve into their stories and gain insights into their ambitious plans for next-generation networks in 2023 and beyond.
Note: The following list features esteemed industry leaders selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of their accomplishments, including their strategic vision, demonstrated impact on the industry, innovative contributions, and leadership prowess. However, this is not an exhaustive list. The industry is filled with talented professionals making significant contributions, warranting close attention for their achievements and potential impact.
Bill Bloomingdale, 5G Strategy Lead at Leidos Inc.
Bill Bloomingdale joined Leidos Inc. in January 2020 as the 5G Strategy Lead, bringing with him a wealth of experience in 5G strategies and IT modernization. His previous positions involved leading multi-million/billion dollar accounts and spearheading 5G-enabled initiatives.
Bloomingdale’s role as Leidos’ 5G Strategy Lead entails overseeing all of the company’s 5G operations, including strategic partnerships and delivering 5G end-to-end solutions to customers. This includes managing strategic partnerships and ensuring the delivery of comprehensive 5G solutions to Leidos’ customers. One noteworthy partnership established under his leadership is with Zscaler, focused on adopting federal 5G solutions to support the government.
Through this collaboration, Leidos and Zscaler will collaborate on developing prototypes and 5G platforms compatible with the federal government’s critical infrastructures. These solutions will be integrated with Zscaler’s zero-trust cloud platform. The ultimate goal of this partnership is to provide robust 5G solutions that enable federal agencies to effectively mitigate cyber threats while powering a wide range of applications, including smart bases, autonomous vehicles, and predictive fleet maintenance.
Chris Christou, Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton
Chris Christou is an IT industry veteran with nearly 30 years of expertise in designing, developing, testing, and carrying out cloud ecosystems, networks, and IT infrastructures for public and commercial sectors. During his time as the Vice President of 5G and Secure Cloud at Booz Allen Hamilton, he gained 20 years of professional experience in the field of 5G.
As Senior Vice President, Christou continues to utilize his extensive knowledge in 5G and cloud security solutions. He spearheaded projects encompassing deploying secure cloud environments, integrating unified communication systems, and developing software-defined networks (SDN) for civilian, defense, and commercial initiatives.
On April 14, 2023, Booz Allen Hamilton entered into a partnership with Shabodi and 5G Open Innovation Lab (OIL) to develop and test the groundbreaking prototype Mobile Medic application. Christou emphasized that this partnership enables the production of novel inventions that prioritize and support critical communications during emergency medical matters. The development of Mobile Medic also gives customers equal access to reliable and responsive emergency healthcare services.
Rishi Bhaskar, Senior Vice President and General Manager at JMA Wireless
Rishi Bhaskar has been the Senior Vice President and General Manager at JMA Wireless since December 2021. With a background in major telecommunication companies, he has garnered 25 years of experience in social media platforms, hyper-scale cloud structures, and 5G and LTE capabilities.
As Senior VP and General Manager, Bhaskar is responsible for various tasks. These include devising profitable strategies for entering new markets, maintaining global alliances across different disciplines, managing profits and losses (P&L) portfolios, and propelling growth for JMA Wireless’ innovative sales models and portfolio programs.
In February 2023, JMA Wireless finished developing and testing a private 5G network it built for Sherpa 6, a veteran-owned small business dedicated to developing engineering and IT solutions that give an edge to warfighters. Bhaskar underscored that the new 5G platform enables reliable and resilient connectivity and tactical efficiency for soldiers on the frontlines.
Margaret Hallbach, Senior Vice President of the Public Sector at Verizon
Margaret “Maggie” Hallbach was appointed Senior Vice President of Verizon’s Public Sector in February 2022. She spearheads a team responsible for strengthening partnerships with federal, local, state, education, and public safety customers and delivering technology services and solutions. Hallbach joined Verizon in January 2006 and has a cumulative experience of 18 years in sales strategies and development, process engineering, and enterprise solutions.
Hallbach was crucial in securing multi-million dollar Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contracts for Verizon. In recognition of her contributions to securing these contracts, she was honored with the annual Wash100 award by Executive Mosaic in March 2023.
Looking ahead, Hallbach and her team are focused on developing 5G platforms that meet the future-readiness efforts needs of public safety agencies. Their efforts will involve improving network speeds, securing communications, modernizing network infrastructures for the Department of Defense (DoD), and maintaining networks at political locations.
Rick Lober, Vice President and General Manager of the Defense and Intelligence Systems Division at Hughes Network Systems
Richard “Rick” Lober is an industry veteran with 40 years of professional experience in business development, program management, program capture, acquisitions and strategic planning, P&L management, and information systems technologies. He has been a valuable part of Hughes Network Systems since November 2008, serving as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Defense and Intelligence Systems Division, a role he has held for 14 years and counting.
Lober’s responsibilities involve leading initiatives that support warfighters’ missions. This includes overseeing the development of military satellite communications, C4ISR ruggedized terminals, and airborne communication systems.
One notable project that Lober is involved in is the development of Smart Network Edge software at Hughes. This software focuses on virtualized software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) technology that enables the DoD to operate various satellite and terrestrial structures. Lober highlighted that SD-WAN provides the DoD with a secure, resilient, and interoperable network capable of optimizing 5G, cable, fiber, geostationary, and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connections.
Todd Martin, President at Shared Spectrum Company
Todd Martin joined Shared Spectrum Company (SSC) in 2017 as Principal Engineer, where he took the lead in the company’s dynamic spectrum access projects. Martin has played a vital role in advancing SSC’s projects for aeroacoustics, electronic warfare, adaptive wireless communications and networking, free-space optical communications, information fusion, and feasibility reasoning and computing.
In his current role as President, Martin provides valuable insights into the future of 5G and next-generation connectivity, specifically for federal government entities. Martin and his team are working with the DoD to assess and evaluate 5G network sharing within the DoD and commercial sectors by integrating SSC algorithms into 5G infrastructures and implementing field experiments. Findings will be used to inform 5G and next-gen connectivity standards, designs, and applications.
Michael Loomis, General Manager at Nokia Federal Systems
Michael Loomis is the General Manager of Nokia Federal Systems. Since 2021, Loomis has led the charge of Nokia’s initiatives and product lines tailored to the needs of the US government. He leverages his military background and previous positions at noteworthy telecommunications companies to fulfill his role and poise Nokia’s federal solutions arm toward becoming a leading entity in the industry’s future.
Loomis’ appointment as General Manager has been a seminal move for Nokia securing government contracts that will promote the use of private 5G networks in the federal market. In April 2023, Nokia partnered with Future Technologies Venture to work on private 5G, edge computing, and outdoor radio access networks.
Loomis underscored that this partnership would bolster the 5g landscape and enable federal clients to utilize lab testing, fielded demonstrations, case development, and large-scale production deployment capabilities.