Michael Ruben Kincaid passed away on 15 August 2024. Throughout his many years as a devoted ComSoc volunteer, Mike brought a valued perspective to the table, that of an industry engineering practitioner.  His focus was to ensure that ComSoc’s technical underpinnings were relevant to industry members as well as those from academia. 

Mike was granted his amateur radio license in 1957 and thus began his life-long passion for the subject of world-wide communications.   He received an Associate of Applied Science degree from Multnomah College (now Jessup University) in Portland, Oregon in 1964; a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Portland State University in 1980; and a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications Management in 1994 from Marylhurst University in Portland.  His career started in Outside Plant (as Engineer and Engineering Manager) for Pacific NW Bell.  This hands-on experience in network design, engineering, and applications postured him for a second career in consultancy involving system design, product selection, system components analysis, strategic planning, technical analysis, start-up operations, and telecommunications technology training.  His overarching credo was the basis for how he served each client:  “New technologies are exciting to everyone, however, if we can’t show how these technologies will provide benefits to the user in terms of productivity or competitive advantage, the excitement wanes quickly.  I enjoy demonstrating how technology can be used to enhance revenues in a strategic manner.”   

Mike joined IEEE in 1970 and became a Life Senior Member in 2008.  He continued his membership throughout the rest of his life.  His ComSoc and IEEE involvement is extensive and represents a span of 54 years. Throughout his long IEEE career, Mike gave selflessly to the community and to the IEEE goal of “Advancing Technology for Humanity.”  A specific example of Mike’s exemplary service to ComSoc was his appointment to chair the newly formed GLOBECOM/ICC Management and Strategy (GIMS) Committee in 2006.  This assignment was most challenging in that it was a major reorganization for managing our flagship conferences.  Mike enthusiastically  took on the challenge of building a new management structure.  Most importantly, he instilled confidence within the BoG and the existing GLOBECOM and ICC Organizing Committees that the new organization would build upon previous foundations and expand them to ensure that our flagship conferences would be relevant to our members, well-executed, and financially sound.  His vision for the committee’s structure and operation was executed extremely well and remains in place to this day. Throughout his GIMS work, his leadership style demonstrated a calming positive attitude, strategic thinking, concern for the welfare of ComSoc’s flagship conferences, and respect for his colleagues in all of their interactions. 

In 2020, Mike was the recipient of the Donald W. McClellan Meritorious Service Award. Don was his mentor in the Wireline Communications Technical Committee and wrote a letter to his telecom manager letting him know that Mike’s work on this TC would benefit the company.  That was in 1975.  The rest of his ComSoc career certainly benefited his future professional endeavors and vice versa.  His colleagues will miss his cheerful outlook on life, his humor, his strategic thinking, and his concern for the welfare of ComSoc and its continued relevance to the academic and industry communities.  Rest in peace, Mike.

ComSoc Activities:

• Board of Governors Member-at-Large 1998-2000
• Awards Committee Member 1999-2005 (Chair 2003-2005)
• GLOBECOM/ICC Conferences Committee (GICC) Member-at-Large 2004-2005
• GLOBECOM/ICC Management and Strategy Committee (GIMS) Inaugural Chair 2006-2007
• Meetings and Conferences Board Member 2000-2007
• Education Board Member 2010-2012
  • The Board proposed Telecommunications Engineering (TE)  as an education discipline in its own right in U.S. universities.
  • Mike co-authored an IEEE Communications Magazine (September 2012 Issue) COMMENTARY paper on the topic.
  • The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) approved the proposal on 25 October 2013.
• Strategic Planning Committee Member 2002-2003
• Technical Activities Council Member (as TC Chair)
• Technical Committee Recertification Member 1998-2000
• Wireless Certification (WCET) Core Team Member 2008-2010
• Technical Committee Positions
  • Transmission Access and Optical Systems TC (TAOS) 1974-2020 (serving in all capacities:  member, Secretary, Vice Chair, and Chair), 2014 TAOS Outstanding Service Award
  • Tactical Communications and Operations TC (TCTC) Member 2006-2020
  • Network Operations & Management TC (CNOM) Member 1985-1995
• Conference Organizing Positions
  • IEEE GLOBECOM 2004 – Vice General Chair
  • IEEE CogSIMA 2011 Finance Chair
  • IEEE CogSIMA 2012 Finance Chair
    • Served on MILCOM Workshops on this topic 2006-2008
    • Assisted in converting this workshop to the new Conference on Cognitive and Computational Aspects of Situation Management (CogSIMA) 2011 and 2012
  • IEEE CCNC 2004 Publicity Chair
  • IEEE CCNC 2005-2008 Finance Chair
  • IEEE NOMS 1988 Organizing Committee Member
  • IEEE NOMS 1990 Organizing Committee Member
  • Chaired the GLOBECOM EXPO Working Group 2008-2009
  • ComSoc Liaison to MILCOM 2006-2007
  • Organized and chaired GLOBECOM and ICC technical sessions dealing with fiber optic transmission (1987-2000)

IEEE Society/Committee Activities:

• Computer Society Member 1993–2006
• Technology and Engineering Management Society Member 1979–1987
• Broadcast Technology Society Member 1994–1998, 2009
• Consumer Technology Society Member 1994–1998
• Signal Processing Society Member 2008-2009
• IEEE Standards Committee Member
• IEEE TAB Awards and Recognition Committee Member – Div III Rep 2004-2006