Martin Cooper

Martin Cooper, known as the “father of the portable cell phone,” invented the cell phone as a vice president of Motorola in the 1970s. Martin Cooper continues to engage in entrepreneurial efforts to improve and streamline wireless communication. Many groups have recognized Martin Cooper for his technological achievements and expertise. In 1962, the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society chose him as their president and the IEEE granted him the Centennial Medal. The Radio Club of America, Inc. picked Martin Cooper as the recipient of the 1996 Fred M. Link Award and gave him a Lifetime Contribution Award in 2010. Wireless Systems Design Magazine awarded Mr. Cooper the 2002 Industry Leader Award, and he received the Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research in 2009. The National Academy of Engineering selected him as a member. The Illinois Institute of Technology, where Martin Cooper received both his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering, chose him as a Trustee and even granted him an honorary Ph.D. in 2004. Mr. Cooper has received numerous other honors for his endeavors and accomplishments in wireless technology. A member of the United States Department of Commerce Spectrum Advisory Committee and former member of the National Research Council, Martin Cooper possesses extensive experience in publicly speaking about his field, and he has testified before the Senate regarding spectrum policies. He also lectures regularly about the incorporation of wireless technology into health care reformations, a subject that Mr. Cooper feels strongly about. Martin Cooper presents his speeches throughout the world and has spoken at renowned universities and conferences in Spain and Mexico, China, India and the U.S.. In 1998, Martin Cooper and Arlene Harris created Dyna LLC, a firm that works with many companies, including some of Cooper and Harris’ previous startups, to facilitate wireless technological products and services. Mr. Cooper’s current company, ArrayComm, a wireless technology company with more than 450 patents in the advancement of multi-antenna signal processing, a technological advancement that minimizes costs while improving efficiency in cellular units. Working with Arnaud Saffari and Richard Roy, Mr. Cooper founded ArrayComm in 1992. Arlene Harris and Martin Cooper live in Southern California. In his spare time, Martin Cooper enjoys outdoor sporting activities, including skiing and tennis.