The announcements are part of a total of 17 CableLabs staff promotions. The personnel changes reflect the growth at CableLabs as the research and development consortium works with its members to take full advantage of the broadband capabilities of cable networks. Cable systems are rapidly becoming interoperable telecommunications platforms with high-speed, always-connected Internet access, advanced digital video capabilities, which use Internet protocols and packet switching technologies more extensively.

Dulchinos had been senior director of OpenCable™, and will continue to lead that project in his new capacity. OpenCable is a fast-track initiative sponsored by leading cable television companies, managed through CableLabs, with a goal of attaining interoperable digital set-top boxes and other advanced digital devices manufactured by multiple vendors.

Dulchinos oversees the development of the OpenCable hardware specification in cooperation with cable companies and consumer electronics manufacturers, and also coordinates input from the Hollywood production community, the Federal Communications Commission, and national retailers such as Circuit City. He manages an effort to define a software environment for retail set tops and other OpenCable devices. He also has led in the creation of an OpenCable interoperability testing lab, in the launch of interoperability testing of television receivers, set-top boxes, personal computers and other products from a variety of manufacturers.

Dulchinos has been with CableLabs for about six years. Before joining CableLabs, he worked at the National Cable Television Association, where he specialized in technology assessment and strategic analysis of other telecommunications and information industries. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Graduate School of Business and Public Management at the University of Denver, and a B.A. in economics from Union College in Schenectady, NY.

McGinty, who had been Director of Network Management, has been with CableLabs for two years, and is responsible for planning, proposing, and managing technical services, including computer, network (data and voice), related hardware and software systems, and the UPS/powering systems. McGinty rapidly built a high-caliber information technology team with expertise in all aspects of information technology. Under her direction, the information technologies team has expanded responsibility from internal networks to include all project networks, including DOCSIS, OpenCable and PacketCable™.

Before joining CableLabs, McGinty worked in a technical capacity with Sun Microsystems, Inc., and had held several technical positions with TeleCommunications, Inc. (TCI). McGinty holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

One staff member was promoted to the position of director. Bill Kostka, named Director/Senior Architect of Broadband Services and Technology, is responsible for the end-to-end architecture for the Data over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) platform, and additionally will provide architectural consultation on the PacketCable project. He had been Project Director within the Broadband Services and Technology group.

Three staff members were named Project Directors. Mark Meyer moved to Project Director, OpenCable interoperability events. He had been a Systems Integration Engineer. Glenn Russell advanced to Project Director, Multimedia Signaling Architecture in the PacketCable initiative, moving from a project manager role. So Vang was named Project Director, OpenCable Software, a promotion from Software Engineer.

Those promoted to manager or project manager positions follow: Tasha Abbott, Corporate Events Manager from Corporate Events Planner; Julia Brodsky, Project Manager, Business Strategy, from Strategic Business Analyst; David Clark, Manager, Network Engineering, from Senior Network Engineer; Mark Guzinski, Manager, Interoperability Facilities, from Manager, Technology Demonstrations; Kathi Jack, Accounting Manager from Senior Accounting Administrator, and Lyne Yohe, Manager, Information Services, from Senior Internet Editor.