Wireless One: Is the U.S. Falling Behind? April 25, 2002
Overview | Video | Panelist Biographies | One Pagers
Gerry Waldron,
Convington & Burling (Moderator)
Mr. Waldron is a partner at Covington & Burling and practices in communications law, with particular emphasis in the wireless, broadcast, common carrier, international, cable, and satellite areas. He has extensive experience on Capitol Hill, where he worked for Rep. Edward J. Markey, 1982-85; the House Subcommittee on Energy, 1985-87; the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications, 1987; and was Senior Counsel on the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications, 1991-1995. In addition, from 1990-1991, he clerked for Judge Dickson Phillips, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Rudy Baca,
Precursor Group
Rudy Baca is a Vice President and Global Strategist with The Precursor Group®. Mr. Baca has extensive background and expertise on a wide range of issues comprising international communications, including voice, data and video services; advanced technologies including mobile and satellite; and spectrum management and licensing.
Mr. Baca was formerly the Global Strategist for The Precursor Group® at Legg Mason. Prior to joining Legg Mason, he was Senior Attorney in the FCC's International Bureau. Previously, Mr. Baca was Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to FCC Commissioner James H. Quello. In addition, he was common carrier advisor to Interim FCC Chairman Quello. Mr. Baca has served on numerous delegations as an official United States representative to international fora. Early in his career, Mr. Baca was commissioned as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Mexico, served as Assistant General Counsel for the New Mexico Corporation Commission, and clerked for Judge Ricardo M. Urbina.
Mr. Baca has a B.A. from the University of New Mexico and a J.D. from Georgetown University, where he was Executive Editor of the Immigration Law Journal. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law in the Graduate School of Georgetown University.
Chris Hare,
Digit Wireless
Chris Hare is responsible for channel development, sales licensing, and partner relationships at Digit Wireless. He has over 15 years of international sales, engineering, and business development experience with handheld devices at companies such as Lucas Varity, TRW, and private practice. Chris created and led sales and engineering teams for a $60 million revenue operation and drove dramatic growth and profitability improvements. In addition, Chris started his own international technology-licensing consultancy focusing on human machine interface and mobile communications.
Chris has received various awards including the IBM Design & Innovation Award for the design of a new monitor keypad. Chris holds a graduate degree in Operations Management, Certificate in Marketing, and Certificate in Industrial Management from Trevenson Management College in the UK.
David Jeppsen,
NTT DoCoMo, USA
David Jeppsen is Vice President of Business Development and Public Affairs for NTT DoCoMo USA. Among other things, Mr. Jeppsen helps manage DoCoMo's relationships with the US government, including the Administration, Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Commerce. Mr. Jeppsen resides in NTT DoCoMo's Washington, D.C. office.
Mr. Jeppsen came to NTT DoCoMo from Lucent Technologies, where he was the Regional Director of Public Affairs for Asia Pacific and China. Based in Tokyo, Japan, Mr. Jeppsen was responsible for Lucent's government and industry affairs throughout the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Jeppsen also spent several years in Washington DC as director of Lucent's government affairs.
Prior to joining Lucent, Mr. Jeppsen was a telecommunications attorney with the law firm of Dickstein, Shapiro, Morin & O'Shinksy in Washington, DC. He began his career working for Michael (Mickey) Gardner, a telecommunications attorney in Washington DC, and the former head of the communications practice at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld.
Mr. Jeppsen is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Law, where he was an editor of The Journal of International Law and Economics. He is also a graduate, with honors, of the University of Utah, with degrees in political science and Japanese.
Mr. Jeppsen lives in Washington DC with his wife and three daughters. He enjoys skiing, golf and squash.
Daniel Meredith,
Vodafone
Senior Manager, Technical Business Development Vodafone Global Platform & Internet Services
Daniel Meredith brings over a decade of wireless communications experience to Vodafone. As Senior Manager, Technical Business Development, Meredith oversees wireless data strategy and requirements for handheld mobile devices, as well as investigating next generation wireless technology.
Prior to Vodafone, Meredith was responsible for developing, implementing, and launching packet data applications for customers of Globalstar USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone AirTouch Satellite Services. He was integral to the development of ISP and Portal services and served as liaison for Vodafone to data integrators and manufacturers developing solutions for the Globalstar USA Data Network. Prior to Globalstar, Meredith was with AirTouch Cellular where, under his leadership as Manager of Roaming Strategy and Development, the company implemented Intelligent Roaming capabilities to ensure customer call quality and calling features whilst roaming outside of the home network, as well as the reduction of roaming costs by fifty percent. Prior to AirTouch Cellular, Meredith built a legacy of success at Bell Atlantic Mobile. As Manager of Intercarrier Services in the Southwest Region, he oversaw all roaming contract negotiations, maintained roaming partner network links and led the Roaming Revenue Assurance team.
Meredith studied Electrical Engineering at Arizona State University at Tempe before receiving his BS in Business Administration and MBA from the University of Phoenix in Arizona. He has been a volunteer with the American Red Cross since 1990, serving for a time as the Chairman of Disaster Communications in Phoenix, and was an active member of the Amateur Radio Council of Arizona as the Digital Spectrum Coordinator. He recently sat as an Advisory Board Member for the North American Cellular Network in Kirkland, Washington, and led the Feature Code Standardization initiative for the wireless industry in North America.