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TechnologyDaily Mobile
The Telecommunication Act Spin
The Competitive Telecommunications Association (CompTel) has hired Gloria Dittus, the head of Dittus Communications, to launch a campaign to educate lawmakers on the benefits of the 1996 Telecommunications Act.
Lawmakers such as Billy Tauzin, R-LA, have criticized the law. Tauzin introduced a bill, H.R. 2420, to exempt local phone companies from some aspects of the act in an effort to speed their ability to introduce high-speed data services. But long-distance companies and the Federal Communications Commission so far have opposed such legislation.
"We cannot afford to return to the days of monopoly telecommunications," CompTel President H. Russell Frisby Jr. said in a statement. "Legislative proposals being promoted by the [local Bells] such as H.R. 2420 are not the solution for increasing competition in local markets."
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), meanwhile, has named Rali Mileva director of public relations. Shee has been serving as publicist for the MultiMedia Telecommunications Association, a unit of TIA. In her new role, Mileva will develop, implement and direct public relations for TIA.
VeriSign's Newcomers
There are two new faces at the Washington office of VeriSign, owner of Network Solutions Inc. Miriam Sapiro has been named director of international policy and will be in charge of international issues involving electronic commerce and Internet policy, including relations with international organizations and foreign governments.
Previously, Sapiro was the special assistant to President Clinton and counselor for Southeast European Stabilization. Before that, she was the director for European affairs at the National Security Council. She also once served as a member of the secretary of State's policy planning staff and as an attorney-adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the State Department.
Mimi Simoneaux, meanwhile, has been named director of public policy at VeriSign. Simoneaux will direct the company's relationships with Congress and state and local governments, and will manage the VeriSign/Network Solutions Internet Leadership PAC.
Simoneaux joins the company from Clark and Weinstock, where she principally was responsible for public affairs in the areas of high technology, telecommunications and financial services. Previously, she was the legislative director for Tauzin. She directed Tauzin's legislative agenda for the House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Jumping Aboard the High-Tech Bandwagon
Dreama Towe has left her job as legislative assistant to Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-MO, to become manager of government relations at 3Com. "I left the Hill because it was time. I was there for four years and was doing social policy, and wanted to move into high tech and this was a good fit," the Salem, VA, native said.
At Bond's office, Towe covered a range of issues, from small business, assistive technology for the disabled, and work and family issues. At 3Com, she will be covering trade, digital divide, privacy and broadband issues. Towe said her experience covering social issues enables her to bring a perspective of the "human factor" to high-tech issues. "I'll look at how high tech can impact the individual, especially because 3Com is involved in digital divide, foreign affairs, workforce, education and broadband issues," she said.
Here Come The California Judges
California Gov. Gray Davis, D, recently named several new Bay area superior court judges, including Steven Brick, who is a partner in one of San Francisco's largest law firms, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Brick has worked at that firm, where he represented companies in major litigation involving antitrust law, intellectual property, unfair competition and employment disputes, since 1973. He is a former president of the Bar Association of San Francisco and former chairman of the executive committee of the judicial conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Davis also named Brian Walsh, 53, as a judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Walsh has been an associate of the San Jose law firm McTernan, Stender, Walsh, Weingus and Tondreau since 1975 and has represented labor unions and individual clients in labor and employment law matters. His representation of individuals usually involves the representation of high-tech executives who are separating or being separated from their employment. Walsh has served as the general counsel and member of the board of directors of Creative Computer Solutions.
The Executive Shuffle
Michael Saylor, founder of the once high-flying MicroStrategy, has relinquished some of his day-to-day management duties as part of a shuffling of his executive team aimed at regaining investors' confidence, The Washington Post reported. Saylor, chairman and CEO, relinquished his title of president to Eric Brown, who was hired as chief financial officer shortly before an accounting crisis at the company was disclosed.
CNET Networks has named chief executive Shelby Bonnie to the additional position of chairman. He succeeds founder Halsey Minor, who will become chairman emeritus of the online media company but will leave his seat on the board. Minor was CEO until March, when he stepped aside to make way for Bonnie. Minor's move will allow him to concentrate on his role as chairman and CEO of incubator 12 Entrepreneuring Inc. CNET also named Randall Mays a director. Mays is the chief financial officer at Clear Channel Communications.
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide has named Larry Sennett as managing director of its global technology practice. Sennett, who will be based in San Francisco, will report to the company's chairman and CEO. Before joining Ogilvy, Sennett held various communications positions with Hewlett-Packard dating back to 1989. Most recently, he was communications manager of HP's consumer business organization. Ogilvy's client roster includes Nokia, WebMD, iScribe, Ford.com, Comdisco and Qwest.
The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) has named David Gould of Dupont, as the new chairman of its trademark division. The trademark division has four committees for the issues of branding, cyber squatting, e-commerce/Internet and trademark office practice.
Collecting The Hackers' Reward
American William Palmer and Olli Tarviainen of Finland won the "Hack SDMI Challenge," which challenged hackers to break the Secure Digital Music Initiative code. Palmer and Tarviainen will receive $5,000 for cracking one of the five digital-music protection technologies currently being considered by SDMI, according to Silicon Alley Reporter.
The Washington Post last week reviewed a new book by Joel Kotkin that analyzes how the new economy is shaping various regions of the country. The book, "The New Geography: How the Digital Revolution is Reshaping the American Landscape," found that the digital age is rejuvenating older cities thought to be on the wane, like Houston, New York and even Washington. The Post's conclusion: "His book must be read."
Fleishman-Hillard's Washington, DC, office has launched a global Internet practice to offer clients online marketing and public relations, digital content management, Internet-based research & measurement, online relationship management, and Web site design and development.
 | - by Bara Vaida |
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