The WiMAX Forum, which is nearing completion of the first wave of its 802.16 certification program, has hired a broadband wireless industry veteran and a former Intel Corp. official to fill two new marketing and operational positions within the forum. Jeff Orr, a former marketing executive at Proxim Wireless, has been named director of marketing, and Matt Wangler, most recently principal consultant at the Ashwood Group, is becoming director of operations for the WiMAX Forum. Orr previously has served on the forum's board of directors.

In his role as WiMAX Forum’s director of marketing, Orr will oversee global marketing strategy and day-to-day marketing operations, according to a statement from the forum. He will engage with the WiMAX Forum’s Board of Directors and its Working Group chairpersons to align and ensure progress of the organization’s marketing initiatives. In addition, Orr will work hand-in-hand with these member teams to educate the market and motivate suppliers and operators to promote WiMAX Forum-Certified products.

“Through the years, Jeff Orr has been instrumental in promoting WiMAX technology and the work of the WiMAX Forum through his role on our board of directors and marketing working group,” said Ron Resnick, president of the WiMAX Forum, in the statement.

Wangler, who worked at Intel before co-founding the Ashwood Group, will oversee daily activities of program management of the WiMAX Forum working groups, event planning and information technology infrastructure to meet the needs of member companies, the statement said.