PSSI VP Joseph Kitrell Passes Away in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, June 21, 2014--PSSI Global Services LLC, unfortunately and suddenly lost a key staff member and valued friend—Joseph Kittrell, vice president of flyaway and international operations. Kittrell suffered a fatal heart attack while working on an event in Hong Kong. He was 66 years old.

Joseph Kittrell

Kittrell worked with PSSI for nearly 20 years, having started initially in January 1995 as a satellite uplink engineer, and soon became a trusted engineer and problem solver on services throughout the world. From Microsoft Studios in the United States to horse racing in Dubai, an interview with the Dalai Lama, and the early Gulf War coverage from Qatar, Joe enjoyed the challenge of lending his expertise and experience to a project, and to making a seemingly impossible job come to life. Recently, Joe was working mostly in Asia, and was heavily involved in and responsible for the company’s trail-blazing transmissions from Macau and throughout Asia.

“We’re extremely saddened to have lost a good man, a good friend and a key member of our executive team,” said Robert Lamb, CEO of PSSI/Strategic Television. “Joe’s creative engineering contributions to our company and for our customers helped solve particularly difficult transmission situations worldwide. He was not only a trusted engineer and problem solver, but also a friend. Domestically and internationally, Joe forged relationships that lasted for years and he will be truly missed."

Before joining PSSI, Kittrell served as an Electronic Warfare Officer for the U.S. Air Force, flying as an F-4 Phantom RIO in the Vietnam War. Joe was decorated with two Purple Hearts for injuries sustained in that conflict. Joe later worked as a senior telecommunications engineer for ITT in Thailand, where he built microwave telecom systems in South East Asia for the U.S. Department of Defense. After returning to the United States, he worked as chief engineer for Telecor, Newcraft and Panasonic.