Wayne Chambers will continue RFI's legacy of innovation and service as Hill concludes a distinguished 53-year career.
GULFPORT, Miss., Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Ellis D. Hill, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ResearchFirst, Inc. (RFI), announced today that he will retire effective December 31, 2025, concluding a distinguished 53-year career spanning leadership roles in the U.S. Army, AT&T/BellSouth, and RFI.
RFI has been acquired by Wayne Chambers, CEO of SkyConnect, the largest and most successful MDU dealer for DIRECTV. "Wayne is a good friend of mine, and this was a very pleasant, positive sale," Hill said. Chambers added, "I will promote Charlie Conway to CEO and will keep RFI operating as close to business-as-usual as possible, given its strong brand recognition and outstanding team of professionals." Chambers went on to say, "Charlie has held leadership positions in DIRECTV, Comverse, Acision, and Verizon. I can't think of a better person to assume the RFI CEO job." The combination of these two fine companies will create an even stronger organization that will continue to serve our clients exceptionally well."
Hill founded RFI in 1987 after 11 years at BellSouth, where he held a range of leadership roles including Group Product Manager, Product Manager, District Public Relations Manager, Sales Manager, and Plant Foreman. He is widely recognized for his leadership in bringing Caller ID and other SS7-based services to the world. Working with Bell Labs and Bell Communications Research (Bellcore), Hill's product team launched the first market trial of Caller ID and other Custom Local Area Signaling Services (CLASS) in Orlando, Florida in 1984.
Hill and his team recognized early that ubiquity was essential for success. They coordinated efforts among all seven Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) and later GTE to standardize functionality across networks. Hill left BellSouth to start RFI with the goal of accelerating deployment throughout the United States. Under Hill's leadership, Bell Canada joined the effort, and he later established the International CLASS Advisory Forum (ICAF), which grew to include British Telecom and several European operators. RFI went on to consult with ICAF members as well as NTT (Japan), Telstra (Australia), and major Canadian carriers.
Hill credits Ron Wojcik of AT&T Network Systems and Frank Marum of Nortel for their pivotal development work. "Had it not been for Ron and Frank, we may never have had Caller ID," Hill said. "They worked tirelessly and convinced their executives to make it happen." Notably, Hill chose not to trademark or patent the new services to ensure industry-wide and world-wide adoption, openly sharing successful strategies—and failures—to advance global deployment.
Hill has also been an influential industry organizer. He founded the TeleMessaging Industry Association (TMIA), serving as Executive Director from 1989 to 1998, and later founded the Broadband Multimedia Marketing Association (BMMA), serving as its Executive Director from 2002 until retirement.
Before his business career, Hill served as a US Army Artillery officer after graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate in 1972. His service included roles as a Firing Platoon Commander, NATO Special Weapons Site Commander, and Executive Officer in V Corps Artillery, followed by Logistics assignments in the 3rd Armored Division. As the division's Supply Officer, Hill implemented a pioneering "Home Depot–style" supply system, an idea of his battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel William G. Tuttle Jr. —five years before Home Depot itself— which was later adopted throughout the Army, significantly improving combat readiness. Hill later served as a Company Commander and Adjutant under Tuttle who went on to become a four-star general and the U.S. Army's Chief Logistics Officer. Hill's last assignment was as the Operations Research and Systems Analysis Officer for the Army's Logistics School at Ft. Lee, VA.
Hill has also been deeply involved in community service. In Birmingham, Alabama, he served as Board Chairman, Elder Chairman, and adult Sunday School teacher for 22 years at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and later as Moderator (Chair) of the Alabama–Northwest Florida Region of 66 congregations. Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hill served on the Boards of the Rotary Club of Gulfport and the Biloxi Yacht Club, was Treasurer of the Beau View Condominium Owners Association, and served five years as President of The Great Southern Golf Club.
As an Eagle Scout, Hill learned leadership skills at an early age. This motivated him to make RFI a decade-long sponsor of DIRECTV's Atlanta Metro Classic supporting Scouting programs.
Hill holds an MSBA from Boston University (1976) and a BSBA from the University of Southern Mississippi (1972). He has been married to the former Lynn Loveless of Biloxi since 1968. They have one daughter, Jennifer Baxter, who recently retired as Senior Vice President of R&D at GSK.
Media Contact
Lauren Roux, ResearchFirst, 1 228-234-4373, [email protected], https://www.researchfirst.com/
SOURCE ResearchFirst
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