Philadelphia, PA. — The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (https://www.scte.org) (SCTE) board of directors on Sunday elected Wayne Hall as the organization’s new chairman.

Hall, vice chairman of engineering for Comcast Cable Communications (https://www.comcast.com), said one of his primary objectives in the coming year is to focus on SCTE membership growth, and target internetworking professional segments that have been growing in recent years thanks to transport-heavy services such as video-on-demand.

That trend also is prompting the Society to take the BCT (Broadband Communications Technician) program to a new level, and to incorporate elements that cover more transport- and fiber-related issues, he said.

A sluggish economy has resulted in industry layoffs, “but the business is growing,” Hall acknowledged.

Hall succeeds outgoing chairman Keith Hayes, the chief operating officer of Gibson Technical Services, who just completed his second term in office.

Hall, a 25-year cable vet, entered the industry in 1977 and has been with Comcast for the last six years. In his current role, Hall oversees the MSO’s network monitoring procedures, network fault management, product evaluations, specifications and procedures. He has also worked with Time Warner Cable and Harron Communications during his cable tenure.

In related news, the SCTE board also elected the following officers: Wes Burton (Comcast) to eastern vice chairman; Keith Grunberg (Comcast) to western vice chairman; Vicki Marts (Cox) to secretary; and Sally Kinsman (Kinsman Design Associates) to treasurer. Bob Foote (Arris) also was appointed to additional executive committee member.

SCTE also named Ed Hudz of Time Warner Cable to director of region 4 (Oklahoma and Texas). He replaces Bill Prestridge, also of Time Warner Cable, who recently resigned the post.