Tech executives killed in hijacking
By John Borland and Gwendolyn Mariano
Staff Writers, CNET News.com
September 12, 2001, 5:40 p.m. PT
update A day after terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., companies across the nation are mourning the loss of executives and employees.
Among those on the four planes hijacked Tuesday were executives and employees from technology companies Akamai Technologies, Metrocall, MRV Communications, Netegrity, Oracle, eLogic, Raytheon Company, Sun Microsystems, NextWave Telecom, BEA Systems and 3Com.
Akamai, a Boston-based Internet infrastructure company, has confirmed that its co-founder was onboard one of the hijacked flights that crashed into New York's World Trade Center on Tuesday.
Daniel Lewin, Akamai's co-founder and chief technical officer, was onboard American Airlines flight 11 bound from Boston to Los Angeles, the company said. That was one of two planes that crashed into and destroyed the World Trade Center's twin towers in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.
"Danny was a wonderful human being. He will be deeply missed by his many friends at Akamai," Akamai Chief Executive George Conrades said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Danny's family, friends and colleagues during this time of national tragedy and personal loss."
According to American Airlines, 92 people were on Lewin's flight.
Lewin, who was 31, is survived by his wife and two children, the company said.
Akamai, a "content distribution" company dedicated to speeding Net traffic, is one of the most prominent technology start-ups in Boston's high-tech region. Lewin helped found the company in 1998, along with a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers. His MIT master's degree thesis formed much of the core of Akamai's original "Freeflow" technology.
Lewin was born in Denver and was raised in Jerusalem. Before his years at Akamai, he worked for IBM's research laboratory in Haifa, Israel. He also served for more than four years in the Israel Defense Forces, the company said.
Metrocall loses COO
Paging and wireless messaging service Metrocall said Wednesday that its chief operating officer, Steven "Jake" Jacoby, was killed on American Airlines Flight 77 bound from Washington to Los Angeles when it hit the Pentagon.
Jacoby, 43, served as COO and executive vice president of Metrocall since 1994 when the company merged with FirstPage USA, where he had been COO, vice president and secretary since 1988. He was also one of the founders of FirstPage USA.
As Metrocall's COO, Jacoby was responsible for managing the company's sales, marketing, distribution, customer service and engineering areas, according to the company. He also initiated several strategic partnerships that complement Metrocall products and services, including AT&T Wireless, Motorola and Verizon.
"Taken from us yesterday morning was an outstanding father, a loving husband, and incredible and loyal friend, and a creative, dedicated steward of Metrocall," Bill Collins, Metrocall's president and chief executive, said in a statement.
Jacoby was en route to Los Angeles to participate in the Personal Communication Industry Association (PCIA) conference and exhibition. He is survived by his wife and three children.
MRV Communications, Netegrity lose CFOs
MRV Communications, a maker of network infrastructure systems, said on Tuesday that its chief financial officer, Edmund Glazer, was killed when the jet he had boarded crashed into the World Trade Center.
Glazer, 41, was on American Airlines flight 11.
"This is a very sad day for MRV and all who knew Edmund," Noam Lotan, MRV’s president and chief executive, said in a statement.
Netegrity, an e-business software management company, said its chief financial officer, James Hayden, 47, was among the passengers killed when United Flight 175 hit the World Trade Center. Netegrity said Hayden was instrumental in establishing and executing the financial plans of the company.
"I speak on behalf of the entire company in conveying our deepest sadness at the tragic loss of an incredible human being and friend," Barry Bycoff, CEO of Netegrity, said in a statement. "Our sympathies are with his family and friends during this very difficult time."
Netegrity said it has established a James Hayden Memorial Fund. Hayden is survived by his wife and two children.
Raytheon, Oracle, eLogic, Sun, NextWave, BEA, 3Com lose employees
Other victims who perished on the hijacked flights that crashed into the World Trade Center include four employees from Raytheon, a Lexington, Mass.-based defense and aircraft technology manufacturer.
The employees include: Peter Gay, 54, of Tewskbury, Mass., who served as a vice president of operations for Electronic Systems based in Andover, Mass; Stanley Hall, 68, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., who acted as director of program management in Arlington, Va.; David Kovalcin, 42, of Hudson, N.H., who served as senior mechanical engineer for Electronic Systems in Tewksbury, Mass; and, Kenneth Waldie, 46, of Methuen, Mass., a senior quality control engineer for Electronic Systems based in Tewksbury, Mass.
"Our hearts go out to the families, friends and co-workers of those we have lost, and all who perished yesterday," Dan Burnham, Raytheon chief executive, said in a statement.
Raytheon said it is providing disaster relief services through a grant the company made to the American Red Cross earlier this year. The company has also established a special fund to provide gifts from Raytheon and its employees for disaster relief for all victims.
Software maker Oracle also confirmed that one of its employees was onboard one of the hijacked flights. While additional information was not available, Oracle said all of the company's senior people were accounted for.
"We did have one employee on one of the flights and potentially some others involved in this," Oracle spokeswoman Jennifer Glass said. Glass was referring to more than a half-dozen other employees who could have been in the World Trade Center and whom Oracle was attempting to contact.
Two employees of application service provider eLogic, a subsidiary of Cahners Business Information, were onboard American Airlines flight 11, according to a message posted from Cahners Chief Executive Gerard van de Aast.
The employees were Jeff Mladenik, who served as vice president of market development for the electronics division and interim CEO of eLogic, and Andrew Curry Green, director of business development for eLogic. Cahners said a fund is being set up for the victims' families.
"Jeff and Andrew will be missed by all of us at Cahners," Aast wrote. "They were consummate professionals and close friends. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences are with their family and friends, as well as with their colleagues throughout Cahners."
Sun confirmed that one of its employees, Phil Rosenzweig, also was killed on American Airlines flight 11. Rosenzweig, 47, served as a director in Sun's software organization and had been with the company for about 10 years. The company said Rosenzweig worked in Burlington, Mass., and was en route to Los Angeles.
"This has been a tragic event for our country and has touched all of us at Sun," Scott McNealy, CEO of Sun, said in a statement. "Our prayers and thoughts are with Phil's family and loved ones."
Wireless carrier NextWave Telecom said that its consultant, Barbara Olson, perished on one of the hijacked flights. Olson, a partner at Balch and Bingham as well as a TV commentator, is also the wife of U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson.
"Barbara was a person of intelligence, good humor, and generous spirit, who made you feel like an old friend from your very first meeting," Allen Salmasi, CEO of NextWave, said in a statement. "Our deepest condolences go out to Barbara's husband Ted, to their families, and to the families of all of those who perished or were injured as a result of yesterday's tragic events."
E-commerce software company BEA Systems said one of its engineers, Ed Felt, perished onboard United flight 93. The San Jose, Calif.-based company said Felt had been a longtime employee and worked out of BEA's Liberty Corner, N.J., office. Felt is survived by his wife.
Computer-networking equipment company 3Com said its former public relations manager Mark Bingham perished in the United Airlines flight 93 crash. The company said Bingham worked for 3Com for two years and left the company a couple of years ago.
"Mark Bingham was a member of the 3Com family," said Brian Johnson, public relations director for 3Com. "Therefore, with a tremendous sense of loss and grief we heard the news regarding his death. He will be greatly missed. Our hearts give out to his family."
Bingham was one of the people who managed to call from his cell phone while on the plane. He phoned his mother, Alice Hoglan in San Francisco, to tell her that he loved her.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
