William E. Kennard was chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 1997 to 2001, Appointed by Bill Clinton in November 1997.
During his tenure, he worked to shape policies that helped create 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. He was also part of the Administration's effort to implement policies to bridge the so-called digital divide in the United States and the world, which private institutions such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have successfully followed.
Upon his resignation in January 2001, Michael K. Powell became the new chairman.
Kennard is currently a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute in Washington, DC. He is also a managing director with the Carlyle Group.
Kennard served as the FCC's general counsel from December 1993 to November 1997. Before serving in government, he was a partner and member of the board of directors of the law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand, in Washington, D.C.
Kennard graduated from Stanford University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and received his law degree from Yale Law School. He has been awarded honorary degrees from Howard University, Gallaudet University and Long Island University.
Kennard is a member of the Board of Directors of Sprint Nextel Corporation, The New York Times Company, Hawaiian Telcom and Insight Communications.
