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Tech Firms Hire Top Government Affairs Aides
By Bara Vaida
Four high-tech firms have filled key positions in their government affairs offices in recent days: Microsoft, Verizon Communications, EDS and Compaq Computer.
Microsoft has hired Marland Buckner to be a government affairs manager. Buckner most recently was the chief of staff to Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., and before that was a legislative assistant for Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. Buckner will work on education, training, H-1B visas and economic issues for Microsoft. He replaces Julie Inman, who left Microsoft's Washington, D.C., office last summer to handle government affairs issues for the company in Australia.
At Verizon, Michael Boland, a former top aide to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., will run the former Bell regional operating company's legislative affairs office. Boland spent the last few years as chief executive of the Boland and Madigan lobbying shop working on telecommunications, financial, defense, energy, transportation and international issues. Before that, he served for three years as chief counsel and floor assistant to Lott, who was then the House minority whip, and for six years as a counsel on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
EDS, meanwhile, has promoted Albert Edmonds to be president of U.S. government accounts for its information solutions line of business. Edmonds will oversee all of EDS' business relationships with the federal government, from strategic growth planning to delivery of the corporate services portfolio. Edmonds succeeds Bill Dvoranchik, who is retiring after 30 years of EDS service. The two were instrumental in helping EDS win the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Intranet contract, the largest IT services award ever issued by the U.S. federal government.
Finally, Compaq Computer has announced the promotion of Jeffrey Campbell to be the director and associate general counsel of its Washington office of government affairs. Before joining Compaq in August 1995, Campbell was an associate in an international trade law firm, where he concentrated on telecommunications in both the regulatory and legislative contexts. Trading Places In The Trade Groups
Some high-tech trade groups also have undergone recent personnel changes. First, Don Skillman, formerly the director of the Computer Coalition for Responsible Exports, has accepted a job with the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) to be its director of Internet policy and director of a new EIA group, the Internet Security Alliance.
The National Telephone Cooperative Association (NTCA) also made a recent hire: Donna Taylor, to be the group's public affairs manager. Previously, Taylor served as a communications specialist at MAYA Advertising and Communications in Washington and as the production supervisor for Information Systems and Networks in Bethesda, Md. Changes At The FTC And FCC
On the government agency front, Federal Trade Commission General Counsel Debra Valentine is leaving her job to return to her partnership at the law firm O'Melveny and Myers. Valentine has been at the FTC since May 1995. "Our litigation record in competition and consumer protection matters over the last six-plus years has been stellar, in large part thanks to Valentine's leadership, intelligence, skills and balanced judgment," FTC Chairman Robert Pitofsky said in a statement.
At the Federal Communications Commissions, meanwhile, Mark Rubin recently left his position as a legal adviser to the chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to become director of federal government affairs in Washington, D.C., for Bellevue, Wash.-based Western Wireless. Western is a cellular-telephone service provider in 19 states west of the Mississippi. Rubin's job is a new position for the company, which is owned by John Stanton. Previously, Rubin worked for the FCC's Office of Legislative and Governmental Affairs, for Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., as legislative director and counsel, and as an FCC detailee/legislative counsel to Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va.
Rebecca Beynon, senior counsel to outgoing FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth, also is moving to a new post. She will become senior adviser and assistant general counsel in the general counsel's office at the White House Office of Management and Budget. Samuel Feder, who is currently an attorney at the law firm of Harris Wiltshire, will replace her for the last few months of Furchtgott-Roth's tenure. Before his stint at Harris Wiltshire, Feder worked at Kellogg Huber and in the federal programs branch of the Justice Department. Bush Moves To Fill Education, Trade, Immigration Posts
President Bush, meanwhile, is continuing his efforts to fill important government positions. He has announced his intention to nominate Brian Jones to be general counsel at the Education Department. He is presently an attorney with the law firm of Curiale, Dellaverson, Hirschfeld, Kelly and Kramer in San Francisco. He previously served under former California Gov. Pete Wilson, R, as deputy legal affairs secretary.
Bush also intends to nominate Thelma Askey to be the director of the Trade and Development Agencyhttp://www.tda.gov/, which helps U.S. companies pursue overseas business opportunities. Askey previously served as a commissioner with the International Trade Commission after being nominated by former President Clinton, and her term expired in December. She also has served on the staff of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee.
The president, meanwhile, already has appointed Kevin Rooney to be the new acting commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Rooney currently is the director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review at the Justice Department.
In other news, The Los Angeles Times reports that Bush is strongly considering nominating House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Christopher Cox, R-Calif., for one of three seats on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — the largest judicial bench in the nation, with jurisdiction over nine states. One Washington source said the nomination was a "done deal." Cox also has been rumored to be a candidate for Securities and Exchange Commission chairman. Political Maneuverings
Indiana Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh, president of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), is in the San Francisco Bay area this week attending a mix of personal fundraising and DLC events. On Tuesday, he is scheduled to give a speech at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. A spokeswoman said Bayh will critique President Bush's economic plan and how it is ignoring the new economy. He will note that Democrats have a plan for fueling the long-term growth of the information technology-led economy, such as investing in education and worker training.
On the political personnel front, meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has named Michael McElwain, the former NRCC deputy political director, as the committee's new political director. McElwain replaces Terry Nelson who, after six years at the NRCC — two as national field director and two as political director — is leaving to launch an Alexandria, Va.-based political consulting firm, Dawson McCarthy Nelson Media. Nelson will continue to serve as the NRCC's senior political adviser. Correction
In last week's "People" column, Bruce Mehlman was incorrectly reported as the Bush administration's nominee to oversee the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Technical Information Service and the Office of Technology Policy (OTP), all within the Commerce Department. Mehlman was nominated to be an assistant Commerce secretary and will only oversee the OTP.
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