THE HONORABLE
GREGORY L. ROHDE
Gregory L. Rohde is the President of e-Copernicus
(www.e-copernicus.com)
– a telecommunications consulting firm providing broadband and
telecommunications project financing, business development services, and
government affairs representation in legislative and regulatory areas.
Clients include multi-national corporations, small companies and start-up
firms, non-profit organizations, and municipal governments.
Rohde also serves as the Executive Director of the E9-1-1 Institute (www.e911institute.org) – a not-for-profit organization that supports the Congressional E9-1-1 Caucus in promoting E9-1-1 and emergency communications development and public policy education.
Rohde is the former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration principal advisor on telecommunications and information policies, domestic and international, to the (NTIA), the telecommunications and information service policy agency of the United States government and manager of the federal radio magnetic spectrum. As the head of NTIA, he served under the President of the United States and was the lead voice of the Administration on matters before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and on international telecommunications policy issues.
While at NTIA, Mr. Rohde was the Administration’s point person on efforts to close the “digital divide;” promote innovation and development of wireless technologies; and advance pro-competitive international telecommunications policies in important areas such as Internet charging arrangements and privacy protection. Mr. Rohde spearheaded the Administration’s effort to implement the agreement on advanced wireless services, otherwise known as Third Generation wireless services (3G). Mr. Rohde, working closely with Congress, doubled funding for the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP), a grant program which brings telecommunications and local organizations emphasizing cutting technologies to underserved populations and the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP), another federal grant program which funds digital broadcast conversion for non-commercial broadcasters. Mr. Rohde also established a strong record of enhancing national security and public safety needs related to spectrum use and promoting innovative wireless technologies.
Mr. Rohde’s public service career began in 1988 with U.S. Senator Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND) for whom he worked for more than 10 years as chief policy advisor for all areas of jurisdiction under the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Mr. Rohde played a key role in major legislation such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Internet Tax Freedom Act, and the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999.
Born in Pierre, South Dakota in 1961, Mr. Rohde graduated from North Dakota State University, where he graduated in 1985 with a B.S. in Education with Sociology and Philosophy majors. He holds a graduate degree in Theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. where he graduated in 1988.
BOARD POSITIONS
Extend America, Board of Directors – A broadband wireless company serving North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and Wyoming.
E9-1-1 Institute, Executive Director and Member of the Board of Directors – A not-for-profit organization supporting the work of the Congressional E911 Caucus in advancing development of E911 and emergency communications systems.
Aggregate Networks, Advisory Board Member – A municipal financing company specializing in broadband finance.
LinkSpace, Advisory Board Member – A software company.
Columbia Institute for Tele-Information, Columbia University, Advisory Committee Member.
VORTEX, Advisory Board Member.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE
· Managed the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA), a federal telecommunications policy and spectrum management agency with $100.4 million annual budget and approximately 300 employees, increasing the agency’s budget by 36 percent in one year.
· Served as the principle advisor to the President of the United States on telecommunications and information policy issues, international and domestic, reporting directly to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the President.
· Managed the federal electromagnetic radio spectrum, promulgating regulations for the spectrum management for all federal agencies and administering the executive branch’s spectrum management coordination with the commercial jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
· Administered $88 million in federal grants under two programs: the Technology Opportunity Program (TOP), which awards matching grants to non-profit organizations, state, local, and Tribal governments for innovative telecommunications and information technology demonstration projects, and the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP), which awards matching grants to radio and television public broadcasting stations for facilities deployment, including facilities for digital transition.
· Oversaw the Institute for Telecommunications Sciences (ITS), NTIA’s laboratory in Boulder, Colorado which conducts research and fosters the development of new and innovative telecommunications and information technologies.
· Directed the Critical Information Infrastructure Assurance Program which served as the Administration’s liaison with the telecommunications and information sector on the President’s Critical Infrastructure Protection initiative (Presidential Decision Directive #63).
· Official member of the U.S. delegation to the International Telecommunications Union World Radio Conference (WRC) in Istanbul, Turkey and the World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly (WTSA) in Montreal, Canada.
· Head of the U.S. delegation to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Conference on Telecommunications (TELMIN 4) in Cancun, Mexico.
· A principle organizer/sponsor and official member of the U.S. delegation for the Latin American Telecommunications Summit (LATS) in Lima, Peru.
· Official member of the U.S. delegation and presenter at the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce (GBDe) and the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue (TABD).
· Represented the U.S. in numerous bi-lateral negotiations and discussions for the U. S. government with European, Asian, Latin American, Middle-Eastern, African, and Australian ministers and officials.
· Testified on behalf of the Administration before the U.S. Congress and represented the U.S. government at conferences and policy forums sponsored by the European Parliament and European Commission.
· Commissioner, Child Online Protection Act Commission, 2000.
PUBLIC POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
· Led the Administration’s efforts to facilitate the deployment of advanced mobile telecommunications services, including high-speed Internet access, in the U.S. for third generation (3G) wireless services.
· Developed and implemented the Administration’s efforts to close the digital divide, including establishing www.digitaldivide.gov a web site which serves as a clearinghouse of information on governmental and private sector initiatives to close the digital divide.
· Created the Wireless Innovations in Communications Initiative (WICI) to facilitate greater cooperation and collaboration between the federal government and the private sector to develop innovative wireless technologies and improve federal spectrum management to foster private sector innovation and development.
· Hosted an online privacy technology workshop to encourage the development and deployment of new technologies to improve online privacy.
· Hosted and chaired a forum to explore “all-hazard warnings” through new technologies and revitalized a federal interagency working group to work with industry leaders and public safety advocates to come up with new ways to use technology to help deliver emergency warnings to the public.
· Hosted and chaired a forum to explore new technological options to deliver local television programs and broadband services in remote rural areas.
· Hosted and chaired a forum to promote diversity in radio and television programming and fostering more minority ownership and availability of minority programming content.
· Developed and issued the following major studies:
Ø Falling Through the Net: Towards Digital Inclusion, a joint report by NTIA and the Economics Statistics Administration using U.S. Census data to analyze access to telecommunications and information technology in the United States.
Ø Community Connections: Preserving Local Values in the Information Age, a report issued by NTIA which explores the use of information and telecommunications technologies in under served populations to help connect communities and enhance community-based organizations.
Ø Advanced Telecommunications in Rural America: The Challenge of Bringing Broadband Service to All Americans, a joint report by NTIA and the Rural Utility Service that assessed the availability of broadband telecommunications services in rural areas.
Ø Historically Black Colleges and Universities: An Assessment of Networking and Connectivity, which was an assessment done by the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education through a grant from NTIA on the availability of telecommunications and information services of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
As senior legislative assistant and principle policy advisor to United States Senator Byron L. Dorgan for all areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, played a key role in the development of the following legislation:
· Telecommunications Act of 1996, which provided for a comprehensive reform of all aspects of the telecommunications and media industries. Specifically involved in the universal service and rural competition provisions; Justice Department review of inter-exchange services; and state and local taxation of telecommunications services provisions [P.L. 104-104].
· Internet Tax Freedom Act which provided a moratorium on state and local taxation on electronic commerce and which Senator Dorgan was the Democratic floor manager [P.L. 105-277].
· Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 which established universal E-911 services for wireless services [P.L. 105-277].
· Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act which provides for uniform state and local taxation of wireless services [P.L. 106-81].
· Rural Air Service Survival Act (contained in the Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996) which established a permanent financing mechanism for the Essential Air Service program [49 U.S.C., Sec. 41742].
· Air Service Termination Notice Amendment (contained in the Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1994) which established termination of air service standards for small communities [49 U.S.C., Sec. 41715].
· Open Container Amendment (contained in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century) which created a national standard to prohibit open alcoholic containers in vehicles [23 U.S.C., Sec. 154].
· High Speed Police Pursuits Amendment (contained in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century) which created a new program under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reduce deaths and injuries related to high speed police chases [23 U.S.C., Sec. 403 and Sec. 2002(b)(2) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century].
· Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 which established certain safety and certification requirements to protect the health and safety of professional boxers [15 U.S.C., Sec. 6301].
· Essential Access Community Hospital Program (contained in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989) which established a demonstration program providing grants to states to develop rural health care networks [42 U.S.C., Sec. 1820].
EMPLOYMENT
e-Copernicus, President (February 2001 - present). President of e-Copernicus (www.e-copernicus.com) – a telecommunications consulting firm providing broadband and telecommunications project financing, business development services, and government affairs representation in legislative and regulatory areas. Clients include multi-national corporations, small companies and start-up firms, non-profit organizations, and municipal governments.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, and Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (November 1999 - January 2001). Nominated by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the United State Senate as the principle advisor to the President of the United States on telecommunications and information policy matters, domestic and international; manager of the federal electromagnetic spectrum for all federal agencies; and administrator of the telecommunications and information policy agency with approximately 300 employees, $100+ million annual budget, including 2 grant programs and a research laboratory.
U.S. Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Senior Legislative Assistant (February 1993 - October 1999). Served as chief policy advisor for all areas of jurisdiction under the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of which Senator Dorgan is a member, including telecommunications, transportation, science, space, and technology issues. Responsible for drafting legislation, speeches and correspondence for the Senator; negotiating legislation and public speaking on behalf of the Senator; and serving as a liaison to Executive branch agencies.
Presidential Transition Team, Team Coordinator at Health and Human Services Department (December 1992 - January 1993). Drafted briefing materials for the President, Vice President, and Cabinet nominee on issue and personnel matters related to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Nicholas Spaeth for Governor Campaign (D-North Dakota), Campaign Manager (January 1992 - November 1992). Managed all aspects of the state wide campaign, including management of the campaign staff; directed fund raising; and coordinated media strategy.
U.S. Representative Byron L. Dorgan, Legislative Assistant (May 1988 - January 1992). Served as chief policy advisor for health care, social security, and human resource issues on the House Committee on Ways and Means, of which Rep. Dorgan was a member. Additional legislative areas of responsibility included education, judiciary, environment, and transportation.
Mackin Catholic High School, Instructor (September 1987 - May 1988). Served as social justice instructor; developed curriculum; and managed student community service projects.
EDUCATION
Graduate: Bachelor of Sacred Theology, the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 1988.
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science in Education with majors in Philosophy and Sociology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, 1985.
Attended Colorado University, Boulder, Colorado, 1980 - 1982.
Scholarship athlete for track and cross-country at Colorado University and North Dakota State University. Member of 1980 Big 8 of the University of Colorado Cross-Country Championship Team.
All-American High School Athlete, Track, 1980 and previous North Dakota state record holder for 1600 meters, 3200 meters, and indoor 1,500 meters.
Graduate Student Association Representative, the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 1985-1987.
