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John Roberts' High-tech Connection
by Randy Barrett
For those straining to find a technology angle to the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court, stretch no longer. His wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, has an out-of-this-world, high-technology pedigree.
Jane Roberts is a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, where she is co-leader of the firm's professional development program. Before taking that role in 2003, she worked in Shaw Pittman's global technology group, focusing on information technology outsourcing and satellite systems procurement.
Not many satellite cases make it to the Supreme Court, but if it should come to pass and John Roberts is confirmed, he clearly knows where to turn. According to her official biography, Jane Roberts is an ace at "buying and selling of space-related goods and services, software licensing, development, and maintenance contracts and professional services arrangements."
In a 1996 article, Jane Roberts put it succinctly: "A key to the success of this scheme is objective, measurable performance criteria in the relevant contract. Another key is the size of the amount at risk -- a nominal amount will provide little incentive to the vendor, while an amount that more closely approximates the vendor's anticipated profit is more likely to align the parties' interests."
Roberts received her jurisprudence doctorate from Georgetown University in 1984.
FCC Hires Conservative Watchdog
The FCC has hired Penny Nance to scout for indecency on American broadcasts. Nance was named a special adviser in the office of strategic planning and policy analysis.
Nance most recently was on the board of the conservative lobbying group Concerned Women for America. She also founded the Kids First Coalition, a group dedicated to pro-family, pro-children and anti-pornography issues.
There is never a dull moment in the Deck Chair Division of the FCC. In other hiring news, Bruce Franca has been named acting chief of the office of engineering and technology, and Leslie Marx received the nod as chief economist.
Franca has been waiting to sit in the Big Chair for nearly two decades. He has been deputy chief of the office of engineering and technology since 1987, and joined the FCC in 1974 as an engineer in the Aviation and Marine Division.
Marx comes to the commission on assignment from Duke University, where she serves as an associate professor of economics. Before joining the Duke faculty, Marx was a professor at the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. Marx received her doctorate in economics from Northwestern University.
NBC Hires Multitudes For Digital Media
NBC is beefing up its digital media division. Jeff Gaspin has been assigned to oversee content development for the wireless and Internet platforms. Gaspin is currently chief of cable entertainment and will continue in that position.
"With the growing importance of digital platforms, it's vital that we embrace this new medium," he said in a statement. "I'm excited to be working in such an exploding and creative new environment."
Ezra Kucharz, the senior vice president of broadband, has been tapped to boost the company's online business. Ezra joined NBC Universal in December 2004 from the U.S. Tennis Association. Kucharz will oversee the work of Jordan Hoffner, current vice president of broadband programming and operations.
Also joining the team is Lisa Kraynak, who will handle strategic marketing for digital media. She comes to the post from a gig as senior vice president of marketing for the City of New York.
Kevin Gage has accepted the position of senior vice president for content and digital media. He will handle cyber security and anti-piracy efforts. He was previously with Warner Music Group.
Also joining the division are; Isabel Cruz, director of human resources; Salil Dalvi, vice president of wireless platforms; Scott Moody, chief financial officer; Seth Winter, vice president of sales; and Amy Zelvin, public relations.
"I am extremely excited to be joined by such a talented group of executives," Deborah Reif, president of NBC Universal Digital Media, said in a statement. "These new appointments illustrate the company's commitment to being the premier provider of content to consumers -- anytime and anywhere they want it."
Now Speaking For The Chamber Of Commerce
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has promoted Linda Rozett to vice president of communications. Before joining the chamber in 1999, she worked for the Edison Electric Institute and the Natural Gas Supply Association. Earlier in her career, Rozett was a broadcast journalist and producer for ABC.
In other mouthpiece doings, Jim Kennedy has joined Sony Pictures Entertainment as senior vice president for corporate communications. Kennedy was formerly a spokesman for President Clinton from 1998 to 2001.
Shiny Plaques For Techie Teachers
Educause has announced the recipients of its annual awards, which recognize outstanding leaders and innovative achievements in higher education technology.
This year's winners are: Ronald Bleed, vice chancellor for IT at Maricopa Community College in Arizona; Rick Bunt and Lea Pennock, University of Saskatchewan; Clifford Lynch, executive director for the Coalition for Networked Information; and Annie Stunden, chief information officer at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Organizational winners include Coppin State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, University of Central Florida, Virginia Alliance for Secure Computing and Networking, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
The awards will be bestowed at Educause's annual conference in Orlando, Fla., in October.
These Pictures Are Worth $133,000
Blake Newman, a photography agent, recently sold the Internet domain photographer.com for $133,000. The price is impressive, but more interesting is that fact that the name was his company's primary Web address.
"It is the reputation of my great photographers, our professionalism, training and team concept that brings clients to our Web site, not our domain name," Newman said in a statement. He plans to invest the money from the sale in his online photo-reservation system.
If you are shopping for other photography-related domains, Newman has 350 more to sell, including photostrategy.com, photographeragency.com and photo-corps.com.
Quote of the Week
"I had to start a blog and vent or lose my entire social circle."
-- Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, proprietor of the left-leaning Web log Daily Kos, in remarks last week at a luncheon sponsored by the moderate Democratic New Politics Institute.
Have any good People tips, gossip, scuttlebutt? Send your tidbits to tdpeople@nationaljournal.com. Sources will be held in the strictest confidence.
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