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Telecom Lobbyist Moves To The Big Leagues
by Heather Greenfield
Shirley Bloomfield is leaving her job as vice president of government affairs at the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, which represents small rural telecom cooperatives and companies, to become senior vice president for federal relations at Qwest Communications, one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the country.
Bloomfield, who will start her new job next month, began her career as a congressional aide for Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., and later served in a number of congressional staff roles, including on the House Budget Committee.
She will be replacing Gary Lytle, who has led Qwest's federal operations since 2002 and has decided to retire following an orderly transition period.
"As a well established member of the senior management team, Gary provided a depth of knowledge and years-long relationships in establishing Qwest's presence in Washington as a national communications provider," said Qwest Chairman CEO Richard Notebaert.
State Department Names New Science Advisor
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has a new science and technology adviser. Nina Fedoroff, a life sciences and biology professor at Pennsylvania State University, has been appointed to the position.
Fedoroff is a leading geneticist and molecular biologist who has contributed to the development of modern techniques used to study and modify plants. She received her doctorate in molecular biology from Rockefeller University in 1972. In 1978, she became a staff member at the Carnegie Institution of Washington and a faculty member in the Biology Department at Johns Hopkins University.
The advisory position was created in 2000 to serve as the State Department's chief scientist and principal liaison with the national and international scientific and engineering communities. Fedoroff is the third person to hold this position.
A 2004 book she wrote, "Mendel in the Kitchen: A Scientist's View of Genetically Modified Foods," examined the scientific and societal issues surrounding the introduction of genetically modified crops.
Dell Switches Board Members At Congressional Black Caucus
Kevin Brown, a key global executive with Dell, has joined the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's board of directors, the foundation announced last week.
Brown serves as Dell's vice president of original design, manufacturer fulfillment and supply chain strategy. He is a nine-year Dell veteran, and leads a global team tasked with designing and directing Dell's future global supply chain and fulfillment strategies.
Brown will complete the unexpired caucus board term of Thurmond Woodard, who also worked for Dell as vice president for global diversity and as the chief ethics, privacy and compliance officer. Woodard died on April 4 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
"Kevin has the respect and ear of Dell's senior leadership team," said Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., chairman of the CBCF board, who welcomed Brown at the start of the board's summer meeting in Washington last week. "Kevin is both excited about being nominated and committed to providing the time to make a difference for the CBCF."
Brown said in a statement that he is "honored to join the CBCF's board of directors and humbled to have this opportunity to support Thurmond Woodard's legacy of work with the CBCF. Dell and the CBCF will continue to work hand in hand, developing future leaders and promoting collaboration."
National Medal of Technology Laureates Announced
Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez congratulated the 2006 National Medal of Technology Laureates, who were announced by the White House earlier this month. Both the 2005 and 2006 science and technology laureates will be honored at a White House ceremony on Friday.
"These individuals are some of the most innovative minds in America," Gutierrez said. "Technology plays a critical role in our nation's economic strength and high standard of living."
Among the winners was Leslie Geddes, a professor emeritus of bioengineering at Purdue University. Geddes is being recognized for contributions to electrode design and tissue restoration that have led to the widespread use of numerous clinical devices. According to the statement released by the Commerce Department, his discoveries and inventions "have saved and enriched thousands of lives and have formed the cornerstone of much of the modern implantable medical device field."
Paul Kaminski, CEO of Fairfax Station, Va.,-based Technovation, is being recognized for his contributions to national security by developing advanced, unconventional imaging from space, and for developing and fielding advanced systems with greatly enhanced survivability. "As a result he has made a profound difference in the national security posture and the global leadership of the United States," the statement said.
Herwig Kogelnik, adjunct photonics systems research vice president at Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs, is being honored for pioneering contributions and leadership in the development of the technology of lasers, optoelectronics, integrated optics, and lightwave communication systems. Charles Vest, the former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is being recognized "for his visionary leadership in advancing America's technological workforce and capacity for innovation through revitalizing the national partnership among academia, government and industry."
And James Edward West, a research professor at Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering, will be recognized for co-inventing the electric microphone while working with Gerhard Sessler at Bell Labs in 1962. About 90 percent of the 1 billion microphones produced annually and used in everyday items such as telephones, hearing aids, camcorders, and multimedia computers use the technology they developed.
Security Alliance Gains Boost From EIA's Demise
The Internet Security Alliance is getting a boost from an agreement by the Electronic Industries Alliance board members this month to close down and allocate the group's financial resources to member companies.
ISA announced a financial agreement to provide services to four EIA trade associations: the Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association; the Government Electronics and Information Technology Association; the JEDEC Solid State Technology Association; and the Telecommunications Industry Association.
ISA board Chairman, Ken Silva, chief security officer at VeriSign, said he was pleased with the decision to have ISA provide services to the former EIA members.
ISA Vice Chairman Mike Hickey, Verizon's vice president for government affairs and national security policy, said the boost in the group's finances from the new arrangement would help fund both new and ongoing projects for ISA.
"Just this year ISA initiated a program that addresses security challenges created by the globalization of the IT supply chain, as well as new member educational services for compliance with legal and industry standards requirements," Hickey said. "ISA is committed to keeping pace with emerging information security challenges."
Quote of the Week:
"We're not sure what to expect tonight. We're hoping the videos will be there. It will be hard to have a debate after this without some sort of user generated content."
-- CNN host Anderson Cooper speaking just before the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate on Monday night.
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