Thomas Koutsky, resident scholar of the Phoenix Center for Advanc...
Thomas Koutsky, resident scholar of the Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies, was named Fri. to replace Robert Atkinson as chmn. of N. American Numbering Council (NANC). The announcement comes in the aftermath of questions…
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being raised by state regulators in recent weeks about why the FCC Wireline Bureau hasn’t been scheduling regular meetings of the group (CD Aug 30 p1). Atkinson, of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information, told us Fri. he was ready to leave the post he had held since 2001. “I resigned last October subject to my replacement being named,” he said: “They have been looking for a replacement… I've known Tom for many years. He’s a good guy and knowledgeable.” Comr. Anne Boyle of the Neb. PSC, a NANC member who wrote an e-mail asking why the NANC hadn’t met, said she was disappointed Atkinson is leaving. “I sincerely hope that the immediate controversy had nothing to do with Bob Atkinson’s leaving as chairman of NANC,” she told us: “I know that there have been some very positive steps within NANC on the work that we do to provide information to the FCC… We continue to do positive work.” Boyle said she hopes to discuss her concerns as highlighted in the e-mail with top officials in Chmn. Martin’s office in the near future. “I am certain that Tom will be a strong NANC Chairman and ensure that NANC’s recommendations serve the public interest,” Wireline Bureau Chief Tom Navin said in a statement. Koutsky, former senior attorney at the FCC Gen. Counsel’s office, also worked at Covad and Z-Tel before joining Phoenix.