Arlene Harris (inventor)

This article is about the inventor. For the actress, see Arlene Harris.
Arlene Harris
Born (1948-06-06) June 6, 1948 (age 76)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur
Inventor
EmployerDyna LLC
Known forDyna LLC
Wrethink
GreatCall
TitleFounder and CEO of Dyna LLC
Spouse
​
(m. 1991)​
Websitewww.dynallc.com
www.wrethinking.com

Arlene Joy Harris (born June 6, 1948) is an entrepreneur, inventor, investor, and policy advocate in the telecommunications industry. She is the president and co-founder of Dyna LLC, an incubator for start-up and early-stage organizations historically in the wireless technology field.[1] Harris is widely recognized as a pioneer in mobile and wireless enterprise and an innovator of consumer products and services. In May 2007, she became the first female inductee of the Wireless Hall of Fame,[2] and was named to the Consumer Technology Hall of Fame in 2017.[3]

Harris started and built several companies. She was a founding member of many early cellular industry organizations and holds several patents in wireless communications. Her companies’ successes included achieving substantial market share for cellular billing systems, developing and implementing the first prepaid cellular service, and creating the first automated wireless management systems. Notably, she led the development and market introduction of the SOS phone, renamed the Jitterbug as part of her GreatCall organization. The Jitterbug phone was developed and launched in 2006 in partnership with Samsung.[4] Subsequently, it was sold to a Chicago private equity company in July 2017 and acquired on August 15, 2018, by Best Buy Co, Inc.[5]

  1. ^ "Top U.S. Wireless Innovators of All Time". www.fierce-network.com. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  2. ^ "Harris, Kitchen inducted into 2007 Wireless Hall of Fame". RCR Wireless News. 1999-11-30. Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  3. ^ "CTA - CTA Names 12 Industry Leaders to the 2017 CT Hall of Fame". CTA. Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  4. ^ "GreatCall's Jitterbug Receives CTIA Wireless 2006 E-tech Award for Innovation in Hardware Category; First Cell Offering for Boomers and Their Parents Receives Recognition at the World's Largest Wireless Show". www.businesswire.com. 2006-04-06. Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  5. ^ "Best Buy Acquires GreatCall, a Leading Connected Health Services Provider". investors.bestbuy.com. Retrieved 2018-12-10.