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Presidential Material In The Tech World
by Heather Greenfield
It was no secret that Tim Bennett is leaving the technology group AeA to become the new president of the Cyber Security Industry Alliance. Now the news is official, with an announcement made less than a week after CSIA's semi-annual board meeting in Washington.
Bennett was the chief operating officer for AeA and served as senior vice president of international issues for more than five years before than. In the latter role, he managed the organization's Washington policy team and met with European Union and Chinese officials on technology policy issues. He also led AeA's offices in Beijing; Brussels, Belgium; and Tokyo.
"We are excited about the unique mix of experience in international public policy and association leadership that Tim brings to our efforts, and I am confident in CSIA's continued success under his leadership," said CSIA Chairman John Thompson, who is the CEO of Symantec.
Thompson added that this is a crucial year for cyber security, as more issues impacting the integrity and reliability of online information are being addressed by Congress and the executive branch. Bennett said he plans to work "aggressively" to influence policy on critical issues, such as protecting consumer data and strengthening the security of government information systems.
Liz Gasster, who served as acting executive director since December 2006, will continue in her role as CSIA's general counsel.
The Progress and Freedom Foundation also has a new president. The group has promoted one of its longtime scholars, Thomas Lenard, to lead the free-market think tank. Lenard will replace Dan Caprio, who had become president in August. Caprio left to work for McKenna Long & Aldridge on the firm's radio-frequency identification initiative.
"No one knows PFF and its issues as well as Tom," said George (Jay) Keyworth, the chairman and co-founder of PFF. "I've worked closely with him for more than a decade and know he is the right person to continue PFF's growth."
Keyworth also expressed his gratitude for Caprio's service. "Under Dan's leadership, PFF held a supremely successful Aspen Summit and continued to be the key voice in Washington for innovative thinking on digital economy policy issues."
Lenard has been with PFF since 1995. He is the author or co-author of numerous books and articles on communications policy, electricity, antitrust, privacy and other regulatory issues. He has held senior positions at the FTC and the White House Office of Management and Budget.
"The digital policy environment has never been more exciting, and PFF has never been in a better position to play a central role in the debate," Lenard said.
New Lobbyists At AeA And CompTIA
AeA has announced two additions to its lobbying team: Ben Aderson will be the tech policy manager for state issues, and Alan Vazquez will be a counsel for domestic policy.
Aderson worked as legislative counsel to Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., a member of the House Judiciary Committee. He also worked on the campaign of Illinois' junior senator, Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama, writing campaign briefings, conducting research, and planning rallies and fundraisers.
Vazquez will handle federal and state e-commerce issues for AeA. He was a law clerk at the Recording Industry Association of America covering intellectual property rights projects in China and Latin America.
"Both Ben and Alan have solid policy and trade association backgrounds that bring even greater strength to our lobbying efforts here in Washington and in state capitals," said William Archey, AeA's president and CEO. "They both have an intimate understanding of the high-tech industry, and their experience will serve our members well."
The Computing Technology Industry Association, meanwhile, is expanding its Washington lobbying team. CompTIA has hired Christopher Turner to lobby on telecommunications, cyber security, RFID and trade. Turner comes from the Washington lobbying firm The Ferguson Group.
He has worked for that group since 2002 on telecom, transportation, economic and community development matters. Before that, Turner was a lobbyist for Alcalde & Fay, co-managing the public client group, which represented various municipality and telecom clients; and at Steptoe & Johnson, where he represented clients on aviation and international law issues.
"We're excited to have Chris come on board," said Roger Cochetti, who leads U.S. public policy for CompTIA. "With Congress' increased activity on technology matters, Chris' great lobbying and subject-matter expertise, as well as his expansive contact network, will prove of immense value to CompTIA and the IT industry's interests."
Turner said he made the switch because of the growth and the level of federal engagement at CompTIA. He is a member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, the National Campaign for Tolerance, and the Democratic Latinos of Virginia.
His hiring brings CompTIA's Washington office to 10 people.
Friends, Political Foes Mourn Valenti's Death
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said America lost a "patriot" and a strong advocate for the economy and American exports with the death of Jack Valenti, the former head of the Motion Picture Association of America.
Valenti, 85, died last week from complications of a stroke in March. He led MPAA from 1966 until 2004. During his four decades as Hollywood's chief Washington lobbyist, he helped devise the "G" to "X" movie ratings system.
"As an Italian American, I take special pride in the life, leadership and legacy of Jack Valenti," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "His brilliant career was marked by excellence, humanity, and humor. My husband Paul and I express our deepest sympathy to his family, whom he adored."
Gigi Sohn, the president of Public Knowledge, also recalled Valenti's work. "In my 10 years at Media Access Project," she said. "I worked alongside Jack Valenti and the Motion Picture Association of America in an effort to preserve Federal Communications Commission rules that promoted diversity in broadcast programming.
"Then from 2001-2004, as president of Public Knowledge, I opposed Jack and the MPAA on nearly every digital copyright policy issue. Regardless of whether we were policy friends or foes, Jack treated me with kindness and respect."
Sohn praised Valenti "for his intelligence, his commitment, his integrity and his ability to work across party lines. Jack was one of a kind, and a national icon. He forged a lasting legacy for the entertainment industry that will be sorely missed."
Valenti was a confidant of fellow Texan Lyndon Johnson. In November 1963, then-Vice President Johnson asked Valenti to handle press relations during the infamous trip that President John F. Kennedy took through Texas. Valenti was in the presidential motorcade when Kennedy was fatally shot Nov. 22 in Dallas.
Quote Of The Week
"There's no conflict of interest and no law to support a theory that I have a conflict of interest."
-- Special Counsel Scott Bloch, announcing his plans to investigate e-mail usage and other activities at the executive branch while it is investigating him for his personnel practices.
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