Re: Staffing the new board - use a executive search firm

[Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com>]

Nicholas and all,

Nicholas Lordi Jr wrote:

> I appreciate the white paper as a policy position setting forth
> the "principles for a new system", but the paper goes beyond policy
> principles and delves into operational specifics while leaving the details
> to be worked out by others.  While I agree with many of the principles,
> there are several issues which concern me.
>
> First, how do we build trust and confidence in this new organization
> amidst the lack of details, board, and stable funding ?
>
> A possible option is to get some business people on board to form the
> core (pun intended) of the organiztion, who have experience in setting up
> and running over a period of years a successful non-profit corporation.
>
> How can a business person put trust in a nameless organization,
> without a CEO, staff, or business plan setting forth the organization's
> mission and budget ?
>
> The white paper states: "Once established, the new corporation could
> be funded by domain name registries, regional IP registries, or
> other entities identified by the Board."

  And this statement is more than adaquate.  It leaves, as it should, these
decisions
up to that board and/or tho the Interum board to determine.  In addition there
is the $50m+ infrastructure fund that the USG could allocate a protion of for
the seed funding.  There are also many other options that this statement leaves
open.  For instance.

1.) As you stated an Escrow account could be established to allow for deposit
     any and all monies from any intrested parties without any conditions to
deposit
     funds into as part of that seed capitol.  This could be posted to several
     Mailing lists as required or necessary and also on some Internet News sites
     with the apropriate information listed on how to do so.

2.) We here at INEG are willing to fund up to 50% of those funds but with
conditions.
     a.) That this orginization guarentee in writing and file with the DOJ
apropriate
          legal agreements that ALL stakeholders have one vote per orginization to

          select the board as specified in the GP and eluded to in the WP.
     b.) That any and all Internet users have the right to vote individualy for
ALL the
          board seats on a one vote per person via the Internet using existing
voting
          applications.

3.) Funding could also be sought throuth any number of existing trust funds that
     are currently in existance that do fund seed capitol for this function with
     little or no strings attached.  (I can think of at least 12 of them to my
knowledge
    offhand).



>
>
> If one looks at the regional IP registries, they themselves don't
> have the budget to support this new organization.

  Very true.  Most of those registries edpecially ARIN are having what seems
to us to be a pecular problem that we really do not understand.  They have the
vary same options as I listed above an possibly even more options.  This really
showes to us that ARIN in particular, is not adaquately handeling their fiscal
responsibilities very well.

>
>
> As far as domain name registries, are we going to ask those registries
> running country code domains to ante up ?  Why should they.
> This leaves NSI as the only viable source of funds, and that doesn't
> lead to stability.

  The ccTLD's should put something into the pot to be sure.  However it is our
opinion that that will be a troublesome situation to handel in many cases as they
are, in some cases not handeling their fiscal responsibilities very well either.
Most of this is likely due to greed or poor buisness savy.

>
>
> People are bickering on the details of how to staff the board of directors
> yet we don't even have the foundation of this new organization in place.

  The foundation as far as funding can be set up in a matter of days if not
hours.  So we find this a non-problem.

>
>
> The new organization needs stability, which would help to lend
> confidence in it from those of us in the industry.  Stability in
> the form of stable funding and prominent, knowledgeable staff is required.
> And remember, by knowledgeable I refer to running a successful non-profit
> organization, not Internet knowledge.

  Well our company originaly was a non-profit company and we have many people
that have run and set up non-profit companies many times.

>
>
> What are some possible options ?

  I just listed three for the funding and can fine any number of folks that have a

vast knowledge in the setting up of non-profit corps without too much of a
problem.
That list would be between 30 and 50 very experiance people in this area.  I could

have that list in maybe 5 days at the latest.

>
>
> One option would be that the US and/or other governments ante up several staff
> person(s) on a 12 month TEMPORARY basis to help fill this leadership void.
> The government(s) could also ask other industry partners or the various
> "alphabet soup organizations" (pick your favorite combination of letters) to
> do the same.  It would be this TEMPORARY group of people that could hash out
> the details, and get the non-profit organizations business plan, financial
> plan, and key officer positions filled (such as the CEO/exec director).

  We see nothing wrong with the various "alphabet soup organizations" assisting
in the funding area.  As to the key officer possitions and CEO those are
seats on the board that MUST be voted on by the stakeholders and the Internet
users as put forth in the WP. Nomanies could and should come in over a
given time period to a central point (An general E-mail address or mailing
list such as this one should suffice).  Once those nomanies are put forth, they
should be posted on any number of web sites and votes should be tabulated
from links to a central site and counted on a central database.  A specified
period of time should be alloted for that voting to take place and an end date
will need to be deternined for that voting.

>
>
> This is similar to what the IAHC tried to do as a temporary organization
> which got the ball rolling, the difference is that several people who
> staffed the IAHC went right on to the CORE, thus not opening up the process.

  And they never allowed for a vote on any aspect of the IAHC proposal or
any member of the POC or PAB unless you singed the MoU.

>
>
> Another possible option is that government(s), in conjunction with funding
> from other international stakeholders, could hire an independent
> executive search firm to initiate the process to staff the
> CEO/executive director position.  I would think compensation would be
> a difficult question to answer, so the government(s) may have to
> guarantee this person's salary for a reasonable period of 3 years.

  This is an "OK" idea, except there would be some objection to any government(s)
having any direct participation frm a very large sector of the stakeholder and the

Internet community.  However those governments that wished to donate funds
with no strings should be free to do so.

>
>
> We want to hire the best, and given the lack of stable funding for
> this new organization a new CEO would have to be independently wealthy
> or have his salary subsidized by a third party or interest group.

  Again this is really not so.  See my three suggestions above on funding.

>
>
> Would you want to sign on as a CEO for this new organization not knowing
> where your next pay check is coming from ?
> You're answer may be yes, if you were being paid by one of the
> stakeholders and wanted a position of influence, but that is something
> we would like to try to avoid.

  Agreed.

>
>
> With additional seed funding from government(s), one may even use
> this independent executive search firm to staff the board on a
> temporary 12 month basis.

  This is a option certianly.

>
>
> Also, the board members of a non-profit organization have a lot of
> latitude in their actions and may not always represent their membership,
> but represent their own corporate or personal interests, which is why
> the concept of using an independent third party, a professional
> executive search firm, to staff the board and/or CEO position is an
> option which should be considered.

  True.  But why not let the Internet community and the stakeholders make their
own selections jointly?


>
>
> Keep in mind, before we decide on the members of a board, we need
> to establish stability (in leadership and funding) for this new organization.

  As teh WP said that is really already outlined to an extent (Funding).
Leadership
is a much more difficult task.

>
>
> Nick
>
> And remember, these are my personal opinions and not those of my employer.
>
>

Regards,

--
Jeffrey A. Williams
DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java/CORBA Development Eng.
Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com