TORONTO – Canadian telecom pioneer Lionel Hurtubise is joining the Hall of Fame of the Canadian Information Productivity Awards, CIPA announced today.
"Lionel Hurtubise was one of the leading figures of the past five decades in the development of Canada’s telecommunications infrastructure – companies, networks and vital research and industry associations," said Norm Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of CIPA, in a press release.
Hurtubise will be inducted November 1 during the 14th annual CIPA Gala Banquet. The CIPA Hall of Fame resides on the CIPA Web site at www.cipa.com.
A native of Montreal, Hurtubise began his career with the Canadian Marconi Company in 1953 and went on to build international manufacturers of telecommunications equipment. He became president of International Systcoms Ltd. in 1977 and took the company to a position of dominance in the Canadian mobile radiotelephone field.
He was instrumental in the formation of Westech Systems Ltd., a joint venture with Alberta Government Telephones, which developed Canada’s first cellular mobile telephone network. He was also founding president of the Ontario Centre for Microelectronics in Ottawa, a crown corporation of the Ontario government.
Hurtubise was appointed president and CEO of Ericsson Canada Inc. in 1986 and was subsequently chairman from 1994 until June 2005. Under his leadership, Ericsson Canada helped place Montreal as a primary location for IT research, development and manufacturing, says the release. He is past chairman of the board of Société Innovatech Grand Montréal and the Computer Research Institute of Montreal (CRIM).
"Hurtubise was a key figure in forging strategic relationships between Canadian universities and the telecommunications industry. He has honorary doctorates from Ryerson University, Université de Montréal and Concordia University. He is a past member of the board of directors of the Université du Québec à Montréal," it continues.
Hurtubise is past chairman of the Canadian Advanced Technology Association (CATA Alliance), the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education (CANARIE), Micronet and the Institut national des télécommunications (INT). He is also a former vice-chairman and member of the executive committee of the Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association of Canada (EEMAC).
