Kevin Martin

Former Chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission

Kevin Martin, Former FCC Chairman

Kevin Martin is one of today’s leading experts in telecommunications and technology policy with over 15 years experience as a lawyer and central policymaker in the field. Martin served as Chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from March 2005 to January 2009 during a critical time when the industry was undergoing unprecedented change as a result of rapid growth and innovation. Under Martin, the FCC created a regulatory environment that led to exponential growth in technological innovation, wireless infrastructure, and coverage for Americans.

Under Martin’s leadership, the FCC conducted the two most successful and profitable auctions of spectrum in U.S. history, raising nearly $20 billion in 2008 alone.

During Chairman Martin’s tenure, the FCC removed legacy regulations that had discouraged infrastructure investment and slowed deployment, leading to increased broadband investment and competition. The number of broadband lines available in the United States more than doubled to over 100 million.

Martin also championed innovative technologies, like using blank television channels or so called “white spaces” to improve wireless connectivity and inspire new Internet-based products and services for consumers.

At Chairman Martin’s initiative, the FCC dedicated more than $400 million to the construction of broadband networks for state-wide and regional healthcare networks reaching over 6,000 healthcare facilities.

Chairman Martin guided the FCC through one of the most massive projects the agency has faced, that of preparing consumers for the nationwide transition from analog to digital broadcasting. Martin effectively enforced the FCC’s rules, issuing over $150 million in fines for violations, the most ever under any Chairman.

While at the FCC, Martin represented the United States in dozens of bilateral negotiations and addressed numerous international conferences as a global leader on telecommunications and technology policy.

Prior to joining the FCC as a Commissioner in 2001, Martin served at the White House as a Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and on the staff of the National Economic Council. In that capacity, he focused primarily on commerce and technology policy issues. He also served as the official U.S. government representative to the G-8’s Digital Opportunity Task Force, a government, non-profit, and private sector task force created to identify ways to use technology to increase opportunities for developing countries.

Martin previously served as the Deputy General Counsel on the 2000 Bush for President Campaign and a counsel to a Commissioner at the FCC. Before serving in government, Martin worked for several years in private practice at the Washington, DC, law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding.

Martin graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was student body president, with honors and distinction. He also holds a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Federal Communications Bar Association.