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Tech Executive To Advise CCIA
by Heather Greenfield
James LeMunyon usually advises U.S. technology companies on how to expand their businesses. Now the former tech executive and Commerce Department assistant secretary will advise the Computer and Communications Industry Association on industry relations.
LeMunyon will oversee efforts to ensure that industry leaders and their business interests are fully represented by the association as it pursues its political and policy priorities.
"CCIA's current membership includes many well-known names such as Google, Microsoft, Oracle and Yahoo, as well as smaller, not-yet-famous companies," CCIA leader Ed Black said. "Our plan is to build upon this strong base and broaden industry support for CCIA's mission."
Black said legislation, regulation and litigation are impacting more companies in the tech industry, but many companies don't know how to voice their interests in Washington. "Jim has a rare background combining technology knowledge, broad business experience, and leadership roles in both the executive and legislative branches," Black said. "His insights will enhance the type of understanding that leads to effective action on behalf of our companies and the industry."
LeMunyon said working with CCIA for nearly 25 years has been valuable, and he is "committed to strengthening CCIA's industry profile."
He co-founded Sterling Semiconductor, now a unit of Dow Corning. He also has managed the research and development outsourcing for several Fortune 500 companies in the United States and Japan. LeMunyon served as Commerce's export administration chief from 1989 to 1993 and was chief of staff to former Rep Ed Zschau from California's Silicon Valley.
Manufacturing Business-Friendly House Policy
Ryan Modlin is returning to Capitol Hill as a lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers. He will become NAM's senior director of government relations and serve as its key lobbyist to the House, where he previously worked under Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich.
Modlin's 15 years of government affairs experience includes his most recent work at Artemis Strategies. In addition to Dingell's staff office, Ryan previously worked on several re-election campaigns for Dingell, who represents Ryan's home state of Michigan.
"Ryan brings us a great balance of political savvy and policy know-how, with experience on the Hill and with various trade associations," said Jay Timmons, NAM's senior vice president of policy and government relations. "He is an excellent fit to expand our bipartisan lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill."
Timmons noted that in coming weeks, the House will debate important issues to manufacturers like trade, energy legislation and fuel-efficiency standards.
Amy Call Gets The Call From AOL
After years working for different Republican senators, Amy Call has found a new calling answering media questions as a spokeswoman and senior communications director at AOL.
Call has been adjusting to the commute out to Dulles and corporate life, compared with the long hours as communications director and before that press director for former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., over four years. "I loved Bill Frist," Call said. "He was an amazing politician to work for."
She likes the new job and also admits it has been a "bit of a culture shock." The casual dress is part of it but also all the instant-messaging. She noted that Capitol Hill and federal agencies have more of an e-mail culture.
Before working for Frist, Call did legislative affairs and press work at the White House Office of Management and Budget and also worked for the Senate Budget Committee. Call said it was time to get out of the government, adding that "it's much more fun to watch."
Yahoo Appoints First Female Board Member
Tech executive Maggie Wilderotter, the CEO of Citizens Communications, has been named to the Yahoo board of directors.
Wilderotter's appointment expands Yahoo's board to 11 people and brings more diversity. She is the first woman director for the 12-year-old company, though Yahoo President Susan Decker is seen as likely to become CEO someday. Some see the appointment of Wilderotter as a sign of change by Yahoo's new CEO, Jerry Yang, who founded the company.
Wilderotter is currently the head of the second-largest U.S. local phone company. She also was an executive at Microsoft and CEO of Wink Communications.
In the radio sector, meanwhile, XM Satellite Radio announced that CEO Hugh Panero will be leaving the company in August. He is one of XM's founders. Panero helped turn satellite radio into one of the fastest-growing new technologies ever and XM into the largest satellite radio company, serving more than 8 million customers.
"Hugh brought to XM the rare combination of vision, operating experience and programming expertise. People used to say that no one would pay for radio, as they once said about television, but Hugh proved them wrong and created a new industry along the way," said Eddy Hartenstein, an XM board member and a former chairman and CEO of DirecTV.
Nate Davis, currently XM's president and chief operating officer, will serve as president and interim CEO. Panero recruited Davis to serve as president and COO in July 2006. Davis has served as a board member since October 1999.
NIST Appoints Chief Of New Office
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has a new office and a new chief to run it. NIST Director William Jeffrey has named Clare Allocca as the chief of NIST's new U.S. measurement system office.
The creation of the office marks the start of the second phase of NIST's effort to ensure that the nation's measurement infrastructure -- a large, diverse collection of private and public-sector organizations -- can continue the U.S. innovation lead.
The first phase began in February 2007 with a wide-ranging NIST assessment of the state of the measurement system and its impact on innovation. The report included contributions from more than 1,000 people in industry, academia and government. It surveyed measurement needs across 11 industrial sectors and technology areas to identify more than 700 barriers to innovation.
Before her promotion, Allocca served as scientific adviser to the director of NIST's Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory. Her NIST career also includes positions in the agency's industrial liaison office, program office, director's office and at the Advanced Technology Program. Before joining NIST, she was a senior materials engineer for Pratt & Whitney.
"NIST will lead the USMS effort," Allocca said, "but our success in addressing priority measurement needs will really depend on close collaboration with other measurement providers, standards development organizations and many others."
Quote Of The Week
"Mr. Attorney General, do you expect us to believe that?"
-- Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., interrupting Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as he answered Senate questions about the domestic eavesdropping program.
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