Westell names Kentrox alum Ben Stump as CTO

Westell Technologies has appointed Ben Stump as its senior vice president and chief technology officer. In his new role, Stump will oversee Westell's corporate strategy, product management, advanced technology, services, and marketing.

Ben Stump, Westell

Stump (Image source: Westell)

A 15-year telecom industry veteran with a particular focus on Operations and Business Support Systems (OSS/BSS), Stump most recently served as executive vice president and chief technology officer at Kentrox, which Westell acquired earlier this year.

Earlier, he held executive consulting roles for BCGI and DAX Technologies and was previously vice president of technology for Digicel USA and held leadership roles at Telcordia.

Rick Gilbert, chairman and CEO of Westell, said in a release that "Ben will add extensive knowledge to help us execute our strategic growth initiatives and integration among our solutions."

Stump's appointment comes at a transitional time for Westell, in which it has been sharpening its focus on the remote monitoring market.

In 2011, Westell sold its Customer Networking Solutions (CNS) division, one that supplies broadband CPE gear to Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and Cincinnati Bell (NYSE: CBB), for about $33.5 million to NETGEAR. The move was driven by a need to focus on what on it said was its more profitable Outside Plant Systems and Conference Plus divisions.

By acquiring Kentrox in March, Westell got enhanced remote monitoring capabilities to serve traditional wireline devices such as remote terminals and providing wireless backhaul and wireless tower management for wireless operators.

For more:
- see the release

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