Established in 2004, The IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc) Technical Committee on Communications Quality & Reliability (CQR) recognizes individuals with the following qualifications:
- sustained contributions in the field of Quality, Reliability & Security of communications services, networks or systems;
- a demonstration of the core value of a professional society- adding value to others; and
- integrity consistent with that of a role model.
The awards were presented in the CQR annual workshops with plagues signed by the CQR Chair and the President of ComSoc. The individuals who have received the awards are shown below with the citations. Please click on the year to view the biographies of the recipients.
| Year | Recipient | Citation |
| 2022 | John Kimmins | For pioneering contributions in Cyber Security including industry and government standard organizations (notably NIST, NSTAC, GSMA, ATIS, FCC-CSRIC) along with exemplary leadership and keen expertise in strengthening the US National Critical Infrastructure resiliency including Future Combat System, Federal Reserve Bank, ANX, NSA, and Smartgrid. |
| Scott Poretsky | For advancing the security, resilience and quality of telecommunications networks including driving the resilience of high speed routing: contributions to Open RAN security and improved security postures of 4G and 5G mobile networks and strong and sustained leadership of industry consortia and government-industry working groups. | |
| Drew Morin | For advancing the security, resilience and quality of national mobile networks; for his leadership and contributions to the Communication sector through his work as a member of the Executive Committee of the CSCC, as a founding member of the CTIA CSWG; for his contributions to the security posture of mobile networks through the FCC CSRIC and ATIS groups for his innovation and numerous patents in the area of wireless communication, public safety, location based services and authentication; for advancing cybersecurity awareness and education across the industry. | |
| 2019 | Addison Fischer | For his historic breakthroughs and sustained contributions to advancing the security of modern communications; for his collegial spirit over decades of engagements with peers in the STEM community; and for his role model concern for the welfare of others and taking action. |
| Robert Kahn | For his role as a founding father of the Internet and a trailblazer of the Digital Object Architecture; for his service to countless peers via the introduction of open architecture approaches; and for his role model as a professional in diligence, integrity and humility. | |
| Henning Schulzrinne | For his distinguished innovation to establish the foundations and advance the quality and reliability of the Real-Time Internet; for his industry leadership to standardize internet technologies for global interoperability; and for his strong academic legacy progressing the next generation of computer scientists and engineers. | |
| James Seng | For his sustained contributions advancing the quality of multilingual accessibility to the Internet; for his servant leadership in helping and collaborating with industry peers on matters of high international consequence, and for his role model as a peacemaker. | |
| 2018 | Mark Wegleitner |
For his technical leadership planning, designing, and implementing many reliable and innovative network services for business and residential customers; for overcoming technical and business challenges to deliver high quality triple-play services to millions; for his vision to advance the digital experience and benefit the lives of people across the United States. |
| François Cosquer |
For his stewardship of the cybersecurity community; for decades of research and innovation to advance cybersecurity; for protecting multiple generations of communication networks and their users; for encouraging and developing future security technologists; for his work as an instructor and industry role model in academia. | |
| Howard E. Janzen |
For his lifelong industry contributions and visionary leadership in the creation and global deployments of innovative, transformative technologies and networks that are the foundation of modern high reliability communications; for his service through the GIIC to bridge the digital divide; and his enthusiasm for life and adventure that brings a positive mindset to teams taking on seemingly impossible challenges. | |
| 2017 | Nilmini Rubin | For her leadership to ensure everyone around the globe regardless of environment and economic condition has access to communications infrastructure; for her global view in legislative efforts that ensure all people have quality access to electricity and the internet; for her unique understanding of the intersection of technology, policy, and human equality. |
| Marsali Hancock | For her lifelong service protecting children around the world in cyberspace; for defining and implementing her vision ensuring technology is properly used; for her global leadership to bring technology solutions to a human problem. | |
| Biju Nair | For his service to provide basic technology to those less fortunate so that they can improve their lives; for his technology innovations that have improved the user experience; for his global leadership to focus technologists on the human element of technology. | |
| H. Brian Thompson | For his leadership designing and implementing historic telecommunications technologies that fundamentally improved access to quality communications for people around the world; for his lifelong service to others as advisor and mentor; and for his exemplary business and policy acumen that helped to steer the digital revolution. | |
| Paul Twomey | For his achievement in providing a steady hand in leading the development and growth of the Internet at a critical stage in history; for welcoming over one hundred nation-states to the process of shaping the Internet’s future; and for his dedication to collaborating with peers to mutually solve past, present and future challenges of society as it deals with information. | |
| 2016 | Bill Huang | For his leadership to surgically implement the most advanced technologies across the world’s largest communications network, for his influence unifying mobile technologies into a single world-wide standard, and for his service inspiring fellow engineers with vision to deliver value to end users. |
| Andrés Ruzo | For his sustained contributions to the quality of communications systems and services; for his lifelong service to benefit and inspire others in technology; and for an unbridled entrepreneurial spirit that advances information infrastructure to reach the majority of the world’s population that is still offline. | |
| Kohei Shiomoto | For sustained technical contributions and promoting technical program activities of the CQR Technical Committee in IEEE ICC and GLOBECOM. | |
| Gengui Xie | For leadership in design of RAS (Reliability, Availability and Serviceability), for design of innovative product architectures, and for energy savings and emission reductions. | |
| Hideaki Yoshino | For technical leadership of CQR Technical Committee across IEEE conferences and standards efforts. | |
| 2015 | Martin Guldberg | For industry advocacy for improving network reliability and quality for end-users as well as contributions to CQR sponsored workshops. |
| Richard E. Krock | For sustained contributions in the fields of network reliability and disaster recovery, international collaboration in advancing network reliability, and facilitating industry-government collaborations. | |
| David H. Lu | For outstanding global leadership in advancing network and systems reliability, and for being a role model in mentoring reliability engineers and professionals. | |
| Rainer Schmitt | For historic breakthroughs in the application of ultrasound technologies to ultra-high security authentication in cyberspace; for serving the emerging generation of scientists through sagacious tutelage; and for exemplifying the spirit of scientific discovery and innovation in the application of bio-medical engineering insights to the cyber security discipline. | |
| 2014 | Matthew Bross | For sustained global leadership in technological transformations; service to others of all levels through frank communication and personal coaching; and integrity in complex international business matters consistent with that of a role model. |
| Bernard L. Malone III | For sustained contributions in advancing the envelope of communications services, networks and systems; going beyond the call of duty in responding to major catastrophes, particularly in assisting life-saving efforts in extreme events; and a can-do spirit that inspires others. | |
| Stuart Goldman | For prolific innovation advancing the resilience and robustness of communications services and systems; lifelong service, via his time and technical insights, to the disabled community and those endangered by crises; and personal integrity, particularly in the area of valuing human life, consistent with that of a role model. | |
| Kevin J. Krantz | For sustained contributions and professionalism in managing the ongoing success of CQR workshops and for living out a spirit of service that has proven vital for meaningful international collaboration in the field. | |
| 2013 | Carol Davids Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), USA |
For contributions in telecommunications quality and reliability and advancing education. |
| Nicola Palmer Verizon Wireless, USA |
For leadership in implementing LTE and addressing the challenges of reliable wireless voice and data performance. | |
| 2012 | Christopher J Mayer Verizon, USA | For Leadership in integrating solutions and improving the quality and reliability of those capabilities before they are brought into the network. |
| 2010 | Kenichi Mase, Niigata University, Japan |
For contributions to the research and development of communications network traffic control and QoS management. |
| Kevin Peters, AT&T, USA | For driving relentless innovation, systems automation excellence, and operational discipline to deliver unprecedented reliability and performance on the world’s largest network. | |
| Andres Servida, European Commission | For visionary leadership, guidance & facilitation for both the private & public sector that is resulting in breakthrough initiatives in partnerships affecting the availability & robustness of electronic communications infrastructure through adoption of the precedent-setting ARECI Study guidance; for his encouragement to others to take initiatives that are positive toward meaningful collaboration; and for applying his intellectual faculties with an intensity to technical policy problem solving that has gone beyond the call of duty and serves as a role model for public sector policy stewards. | |
| 2009 | Adam Drobot, Telcordia Technologies, Inc., USA | For visionary leadership in secure, highly-reliable communications across the industry’s most complex networks, operations and systems technologies. |
| Judy Harkins, Gallaudet University, USA | For vision and devotion to serving people with disabilities, encouragement to others to take initiatives, and serving as a role model for the communications industry. | |
| Masayuki Murata, Osaka University, Japan | For advanced research contributions building high speed, high quality, and reliable networking architecture, and for excellent leadership in harmonizing industry and academic activities. | |
| 2008 | Karl F. Rauscher, Bell Labs, Alcatel-Lucent, USA | For untiring efforts in the areas of improved reliability, national security, and service to the public through innovative use of and improvement to the communications infrastructure. |
| Hossein Eslambolchi, Divvio Inc. | For leadership in converging networks to IP while instilling high quality, reliability and security standards throughout the technology and service transformation. | |
| 2007 | Keith Cambron, AT&T Labs | For sustained contributions in the field of network reliability, technology introduction, and leadership in the research and development of telecommunications systems. |
| Dick Lynch, Verizon Wireless | For leadership in implementing wireless technology and bridging the IEEE and industry to address the challenges of reliable wireless voice and data performance. | |
| George Rittenhouse, Bell Labs, Alcatel-Lucent | For pioneering research in optimizing the quality of mobile networks, for augmenting wireless communications network resilience in life saving search and rescue efforts during catastrophes, and for leading industry colleagues with a technical excellence, a spirit of service and unyielding integrity. | |
| Michael Tortorella, Rutgers University | For pioneering work in service reliability theory and engineering, for sustained contributions to reliable services, networks, and products in the telecommunications industry, and for continued service to the CQR since 1986. | |
| 2006 | John Harrison, LanditD Ltd, Consultant to National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) | For demonstrating the priority of security to the reliability of communications networks, for building lasting international bridges throughout his career and for pioneering trusted information sharing in the communications industry. |
| Stephen Malphrus , U.S. Federal Reserve Board | For championing communications network reliability as a finance industry stakeholder, for his marked professionalism in engaging industry experts, and for advocating network reliability as top priority before the highest levels of government. | |
| Hiromi Ueda, Tokyo University of Technology | For contributions to promoting technical program activities of the IEEE CQR Technical Committee. | |
| 2005 | Pamela J. (PJ) Aduskevicz,Consultant | For sustained contributions in the fields of network reliability and disaster recovery, service in numerous critical leadership positions, and trust and consensus building in industry-government collaboration. |
| Raymond J. (Ray) Bonelli, Lucent Technologies (Retired) | For sustained contributions in the field of system quality improvement, facilitating industry cooperation, and peer mentoring that is exemplary of a professional society. | |
| Kelly Krick, Nortel | For sustained contributions in the field of network system quality, oversight in the publication of valuable technical materials, and bridge building throughout the international community. | |
| Spilios E. Makris, Telcordia Technologies | For sustained contributions in the field of network reliability analysis, technical leadership for the Olympic Games, and collegial, rigorous and optimistic dialogue with his industry peers. | |
| William L. “Bill” Smith, BellSouth | For sustained contributions in the field of service reliability and security, leadership in a national crisis, and oversight of industry standards coordination and collaboration. | |
| 2004 | Koichi Asatani, Kogakuin University, Japan | For sustained contributions in advancing the quality and reliability of emerging communications services, leadership and coordination of scientific collaboration, and for personal dedication to fostering international relationships. |
| Chi-Ming Chen, AT&T | For sustained contributions in the field of expert quality processes, in exemplary transfer of technical knowledge, and for amiable professionalism. | |
| Henry (Hank) M. Kluepfel, SAIC | For sustained contributions in the fields of network security and infrastructure protection that been have marked by breadth of knowledge and awareness, edification of peers, and gentle tutelage. | |
| Archie McCain, BellSouth | For sustained contributions that have enhanced network element performance, and technical dialogue marked by being both highly insightful and highly courteous that has lead to meaningful rigor in industry discussions. | |
| Art Reilly, Cisco Systems | For sustained contributions in the area of industry standards, the facilitation of industry consensus, and for serving as a benchmark of professional etiquette. |