Genachowski Taps Adm. Barnett (Ret.) to Head Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau

Furth and Manner named deputy chiefs

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/21/2009 11:34:05 AM

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has tapped a retired admiral to head up the Public Safety and Homeland Security bureau, the FCC said Tuesday.

Admiral Jamie Barnett, former deputy commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, and director of Naval Education and Training, at the Pentagon, retired in 2008 and most recently had been a senior research fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.

David Furth, who had been acting chief of the bureau since January, will be deputy chief. Furth, who has been at the FCC since 2002, had been an associate bureau chief before being tapped by acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps as acting chief.

Also named deputy chief was Jennifer Manner. She joins the FCC from ZComm Strategies, where she was a telecomm policy adviser. It will be a homecoming for Manner, who was senior counsel to then FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy.

"I am delighted that Admiral Barnett, with his broad and deep experience with public safety issues and familiarity with the concerns of state and local governments, will be joining the agency," said Genachowski in announcing the appointments. "I am also pleased to be elevating David Furth and bringing Jennifer Manner back to the agency. This team will provide the expertise required to enable a public safety infrastructure for the twenty-first century, with the advanced technology needed to serve our firefighters, police officers, and other first responders."

Genachowski last week began the process of installing his bureau chiefs and deputies, beginning with the Wireless Bureau.