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Administration Taps Tech, Budget Aides
by Bara Vaida
Chris Israel is joining the Commerce Department as the deputy assistant secretary of technology policy beginning Nov. 1. Israel has been the deputy director of international public policy for AOL Time Warner since January 2001 and previously worked as a senior public policy analyst for Time Warner beginning in 1997.
While at Time Warner, he worked on protecting personal data the company collected online and maintaining the safety of children online, as well as on international e-commerce. Earlier in his career, Israel served as a legislative aide to former Rep. Jan Meyers, R-Kan., and later to Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan.
In other administration news, President Bush intends to nominate Richard Russell to be associate director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Russell has been OSTP's chief of staff since January. From 1995 to 2001, he served as staff director for the House Science Technology Subcommittee and as deputy chief of staff for the full committee.
Chris Ullman, who has been communications director at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is leaving to join the Carlyle Group as vice president for strategic communications. Ullman's other jobs have included public affairs director at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and press secretary at the House Budget Committee. Amy Call, the former deputy press secretary for the Senate Budget Committee, will replace Ullman at OMB.
New Faces At SEC, PTO
Over at the SEC, Stephen Cutler has been named director of the agency's enforcement division. Cutler came to the SEC in January 1999 as deputy director of the division. Before that, he was a partner at the Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering law firm.
The agency also named two communications staffers: Brian Gross as the communications director and Michael Robinson as the public affairs director and chief spokesman for the agency. Gross previously was the communications director and legal counsel to Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas; Robinson was vice president of corporate communications at Friedman Billings Ramsey.
The Patent and Trademark Office, meanwhile, has added three new group directors to the Patent SES Management Team in the agency's patent-examining technology centers. Sharon Gibson and Richard Seidel were named directors in the center that examines semiconductor, electrical and optical systems and components. Bruce Kisliuk was named a group director in the center that examines inventions related to biotechnology and biochemistry.
Celebrating Technology
Some top technology executives will be among the hosts of a Nov. 1 reception to honor people whose stories "represent the best of technology's potential" in education, equality, economic development, environment and health.
Hosts of the event, which will be at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, Calif., will include: Agilent Technologies CEO Ned Barnholt, Applied Materials CEO Jim Morgan, Credit Suisse First Boston investment banker Frank Quattrone and biotech investor Alejandro Zaffaroni, Intel cofounder Gordon Moore, Knight Ridder CEO Tony Ridder, and McKenna Group Chairman Regis McKenna. Former President Gerald Ford will give the keynote speech, according to the invitation sent by Ridder.
In other news, the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) last week announced the recipients of its 2001 Tech Ten Awards. The state legislators slated to receive the awards at an Oct. 20 banquet include: Delegates Whitt Clement and Bob Hull; and Sens. Toddy Puller, Bill Mims, Brian Moran, Marty Williams and John Watkins.
During the General Assembly session, NVTC Chairman John Backus said in a statement, "These legislators distinguished themselves as technology champions by supporting initiatives designed to increase the use of technology in Virginia and to further grow Virginia's technology business."
Thanks to the legislators, he added, "NVTC was able to defeat many ill-conceived bills targeted toward government regulation of private-sector information-sharing practices, restricting the use of wireless communication devices, reversing Virginia's aggressive use of the Internet and electronic medium to deliver government services, and politicizing Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology and Virginia's Research and Technology Advisory Commission."
Overarching Success
AeA President Bill Archey announced to the electronic trade group's board and staff last week that despite the steep decline in the high-tech economy, AeA only suffered a 2.35 percent decline in overall dues for the year. The decline was offset by a 25 percent increase in revenue from the association's preferred business services programs, particularly health care.
"The results are a real tribute to the extraordinary hard work of everyone," Archey wrote in an e-mail. He said the first quarter of the association's fiscal year, ending Dec. 30, would be key to next year's performance, as 40 percent of AeA's billings come due in that quarter.
Bonding With High-Tech
Last Friday, TechNet hosted a lunch at Cisco Systems for Phil Bond, the Commerce undersecretary for technology policy. Executives from several tech companies and associations participated in a roundtable discussion on topics ranging from the high-speed Internet and e-government to security and tech workforce issues.
Bond said he plans a series of trips as part of a national outreach plan to the technology community. He also indicated Commerce's goal in making the department the portal for the technology industry into the Bush administration. John Sargent, a senior policy analyst in the Office of Technology Policy, joined Bond at the lunch.
New In The Public Affairs Sector
Peter Kerr has been named chief communications officer at the Markle Foundation, a group that funds technology projects. In his role, Kerr will oversee the development and management of the foundation's public affairs and public education operation, as well communications strategy.
Kerr was the vice president of communications of Phoenix House and before that served as vice president of communications and marketing for Empire Blue Cross & Blue Shield. Before joining the world of public relations, Kerr worked for 14 years as a reporter and bureau chief at The New York Times.
Dittus Communications, meanwhile, announced that Carrie Blewitt is joining the firm as the senior director to Dittus' marketing communications practice. Blewitt will be responsible for strategic brand-building, product launches, media relations and reputation management for the company's consumer and technology accounts.
Previously, Blewitt was an account supervisor for Weber Shandwick Worldwide, where she provided strategic communications counsel on branding and marketing for Kodak, Terra Lycos and Bertelsmann eCommerce Group.
FASB's Jenkins Retiring
Edmund Jenkins, chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), is retiring in June 2002. Jenkins has been chairman since July 1997.
He was one of the lead voices for changing the pooling-of-interest accounting method, which allows two merging firms to combine their assets as if they always had been one company, and the rules for the accounting of intangible assets. The issues became important for high-tech companies because they often used the pooling-of-interest method.
Before joining FASB, Jenkins worked at Arthur Andersen for 38 years, most recently as managing partner of the professional standards group of its worldwide practice.
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