WASHINGTON—President Bush has tapped John Kneuer, a former private wireless lobbyist, to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Kneuer, who currently serves as deputy NTIA chief, would succeed Michael Gallagher as the key telecom advisor to the White House. Gallagher left NTIA earlier this year to enter the private sector. NTIA is a unit of the Commerce Department. Early in his career, Kneuer was executive director for government relations for the Industrial Telecommunications Association.
Kneuer would be responsible for, among other things, implementing Bush’s spectrum policy initiative.
“TIA applauds President Bush’s nomination of John Kneuer to serve as assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information and administrator of NTIA. His vast experience in the industry and familiarity with the Department of Commerce will undoubtedly serve him well as the president’s principal advisor on telecommunications policy,” said Matthew Flanigan, president of the Telecommunications Industry Association, a group that represents wireless and other telecom manufacturers. “We are confident that under Kneuer’s leadership NTIA will continue to support a dynamic, innovative and competitive information and communications technology industry through the efficient management and allocation of spectrum, and the promotion of market-based domestic and international policies that will promote development and deployment of new advanced services and applications to consumers worldwide.”
