Dirk Gates

SVP of Customer Experience @ Tarana Wireless arrow icon

Dirk Gates, SVP of Customer Experience, is a renowned entrepreneur who founded Xircom, Inc. and Xirrus, Inc., leading both to successful acquisitions by Intel and Riverbed Technologies, respectively.

Dirk Gates's Title

Dirk Gates currently holds the title of Senior Vice President (SVP) of Customer Experience. In this role, he leverages his extensive background in networking and wireless technologies to enhance customer interactions and satisfaction. His strategic vision and leadership are instrumental in driving initiatives that improve the overall customer journey, ensuring that the services and products offered meet and exceed client expectations.

Dirk Gates's Company

Dirk Gates has been at the helm of several influential technology companies. He was the founder, CEO, and Chairman of Xircom, Inc., a pioneer in the mobile networking market. Gates also founded Xirrus, Inc., a leader in high-performance enterprise Wi-Fi solutions. Under his leadership, Xirrus provided cloud-managed Wi-Fi solutions that significantly outperformed competitors in range, coverage, and bandwidth efficiency. Both companies achieved substantial success, with Xircom reaching a $2 billion valuation before being acquired by Intel and Xirrus being acquired by Riverbed Technologies after reaching a $100 million/year run rate.

Dirk Gates's Achievements

Dirk Gates's career is marked by numerous significant achievements. At Xircom, he led the company through a successful IPO and grew its valuation to $2 billion before its acquisition by Intel. Gates also founded Xirrus, Inc., growing it to a $100 million/year run rate and establishing it as a leader in high-performance enterprise Wi-Fi before its acquisition by Riverbed Technologies. He holds 32 patents in networking and wireless technologies, underscoring his innovation and technical expertise. Additionally, he was honored with Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Los Angeles Region.

Dirk Gates's Education and Expertise

Dirk Gates has an impressive educational background with degrees that underpin his expertise in technology and business. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Pepperdine University with a Master of Business Administration, and also Summa Cum Laude from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. This robust educational foundation has equipped Gates with both the technical knowledge and business acumen necessary to innovate and lead in the networking and wireless technology sectors.

Dirk Gates's Background

Dirk Gates has a rich background in the technology industry, characterized by his pioneering work in mobile and wireless networking. He founded Xircom, Inc., which created the mobile networking market and introduced the first mobile WLAN product line, NetWave. His subsequent venture, Xirrus, Inc., set new standards in enterprise Wi-Fi performance. Gates's leadership, vision, and technical innovations have had a lasting impact on the industry, and his numerous patents reflect his contributions to advancing networking and wireless technologies.

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