Mark Desautels, CTIA VP, Dies at Trade Show

Tragedy struck the CTIA trade show in Las Vegas Monday when Mark Desautels, the association’s vice president of wireless Internet development, died of an apparent heart attack. He was 56.

Desautels joined CTIA in 1998, and his primary responsibility was to oversee the activities of the Wireless Internet Caucus. He also developed the educational sessions and selected speakers for the association’s two annual trade shows. Desautels joined CTIA after serving as president and CEO of the Wireless Data Forum, and prior to that, he was assistant to the director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations, Congressional Budget Office (CBO), where he was the agency press spokesperson and chief liaison officer.

CTIA president and CEO Largent said, “Mark has been an outstanding employee since joining the association in 1998, and was a dear friend and valuable colleague to all of us here at CTIA and to many in the wireless industry. His insight and forward-thinking were tremendous assets as he led several key industry business development initiatives, and I know he will be missed terribly. On behalf of CTIA – The Wireless Association’s staff and our members, we send our condolences to his family, especially his three daughters Alexandra, Meredith, and Theresa. They will be in our thoughts and prayers.”