From the FCC…

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR EIGHT BOARD MEMBER POSITIONS ON THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CC Docket Nos. 96-45, 97-21

Nominations Due By:  October 28, 2024

 

Pursuant to section 54.703(c) of the Federal Communications Commission’s rules, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks nominations for the following Board member positions on the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) listed below for a three-year term.[1]  In addition to the six positions that are expiring as a matter of course at the end of this year, the Commission also seeks nominations for two additional vacancies resulting from a resignation and carryover vacancy of USAC Board members.

• Representative for interexchange carriers with annual operating revenues of more than $3 billion (position currently held by Alan Buzacott, Executive Director of Federal Regulatory Affairs, Verizon Communications, Inc.)
• Representative for rural health care providers that are eligible to receive supported services under section 54.601 of the Commission’s rules (position currently held by Brent Fontana, Senior Manager, Amazon Web Services)
• Representative for state telecommunications regulators (position currently held by Sarah Freeman, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission)
• Representative for incumbent local exchange carriers (non-Bell Operating Companies) with more than $40 million in annual revenues (position currently held by Kenneth F. Mason)
• Representative for schools that are eligible to receive discounts pursuant to section 54.501 of the Commission’s rules (position currently held by Julie Tritt Schell, State E-Rate Coordinator, Pennsylvania Department of Education)
• Representative for schools that are eligible to receive discounts pursuant to section 54.501 of the Commission’s rules (position currently held by Dr. Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators)[2]

[1] 47 CFR § 54.703(c).

[2] Dr. Domenech tendered his resignation from the USAC Board of Directors effective December 31, 2024.  See Letter from Radha Sekar, Chief Executive Officer, Universal Service Administrative Company to Trent Harkrader, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau and Mark Stephens, Managing Director, Office of Managing Director, Federal Communications Commission, CC Docket Nos. 96-45, 97-21 (Aug. 12, 2024) (attaching letter of resignation of  Dr. Domenech).  Pursuant to section 54.703(c) of the Commission’s rules, we solicit nominations to fill the remainder of Dr. Domenech’s term, which expires on December 31, 2025.

• Representative for information service providers (position currently held by Olivia Wein, Senior Attorney, National Consumer Law Center)
• Representative for interexchange carriers with annual operating revenues of $3 billion or less (position currently held by Michael Skrivan)[1]

We are persuaded that having Board members with substantive areas of expertise relevant to running a large and complex organization with such skills as accounting, finance, auditing, procurement, data management and information technology will improve the management, administration and oversight of USAC.  If members of the relevant industry or non-industry group fail to reach consensus on a candidate to serve on the Board, or fail to submit a nomination for the particular Board member seat, the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission will select an individual from that industry or non-industry group to serve on the Board as outlined in section 54.703(c)(1).[2]

Pursuant to section 54.703(c)(2) of the Commission’s rules, each nomination must be captioned: “In the Matter of: Nomination for Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors, CC Docket Nos. 97-21 and 96-45.”[3]  Nominations may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), or by filing paper copies.

• Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings.
• Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number.
• Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
• Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
• S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 45 L Street, N.E., Washington DC 20554.

People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov, or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).

In addition to the electronic or paper filing, copies of each nomination should be submitted to Charles Tyler, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, via email Charles.Tyler@fcc.gov.  Each nomination should specify the position on the Board of Directors for which such nomination is submitted and should be accompanied by the nominee’s professional and biographical information, such as a résumé or professional biography.  All nominations must be filed with the Office of the Secretary by October 28, 2024.

[1] The Commission sought nominations for this position in 2023 but did not receive any.  Consistent with section 54.703(c) of the Commission’s rules and USAC Bylaws, the incumbent, Michael Skrivan, has continued to serve pending selection of a replacement.  Nominations are again invited for this position, which would expire on December 31, 2026.

[2] 47 CFR § 54.703(c)(1).

[3] 47 CFR § 54.703(c)(2).