William E. Kennard
| William Kennard | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| United States Ambassador to the European Union | |
|
In office November 2009 – July 2013 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Kristen Silverberg |
| Succeeded by | Anthony L. Gardner |
| Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission | |
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In office November 3, 1997 – January 19, 2001 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Reed E. Hundt |
| Succeeded by | Michael K. Powell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Earl Kennard January 19, 1957 Los Angeles, California |
| Residence | Brussels, Belgium |
| Alma mater |
Stanford University Yale Law School |
| Website | U.S. Mission to the European Union |
William Earl Kennard (born January 19, 1957) is an American attorney who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union (2009–13) and chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (1997–2001). He was nominated as ambassador to the EU by President Barack Obama in August 2009 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in November. Prior to this appointment, Kennard was Managing Director of the global private equity firm the Carlyle Group. He was also chairman of the FCC after being appointed by President Bill Clinton in November 1997, serving from November 3, 1997 to January 19, 2001.
Kennard is a graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School.
Prior to becoming Ambassador, Kennard was Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm with over $100 billion under management. Kennard joined The Carlyle Group in May 2001, where he led investments in the telecommunications and media sectors.
Before his appointment as FCC Chairman, Kennard served as the FCC’s general counsel from 1993 until 1997. He joined the FCC from the law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand (now DLA Piper) where he was a partner and member of the firm’s board of directors.
Before joining The Carlyle Group, Kennard served as chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from November 1997 to January 2001. He presided over the agency at an historic time. During his tenure, he shaped policies that created an explosion of new wireless phones, brought the Internet to a majority of American households, and resulted in billions of dollars of investment in new broadband technologies. At the same time, he implemented bold new policies to bridge the digital divide in the United States and around the world.
Kennard is well known for his advocacy for people at risk of being stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide. He implemented the FCC’s e-rate program, which brought the Internet to almost every school and library in the United States. Under Kennard’s leadership, the FCC dramatically expanded access to communications technologies for people with disabilities. The FCC also adopted policies to increase telephone service to rural areas, especially to Native Americans living on tribal lands. He reached out to create more ownership and employment opportunities for women and minorities.
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Wikipedia