Comm. Adelstein:
FCC -> RUS

On Friday, Reuters reported,

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - Jonathan Adelstein, a two-term commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), was nominated by the White House on Friday to an Agriculture Department agency that will play a major role in high-speed Internet expansion.

The Obama administration wants Adelstein to run the Rural Utilities Service, which is receiving economic stimulus money to issue grants and loans to increase the availability of broadband in rural areas.

The service also provides financing for water, waste, electric and other telecommunications projects.

Adelstein, a Democrat, has been a member of the FCC since 2002. His second term formally expired in June.

From the White House press release:
Jonathan S. Adelstein, Nominee for Administrator for the Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture

Jonathan S. Adelstein is currently a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, where he has served since 2002, and was confirmed to a second term in 2004, where he led efforts to improve rural telecommunications and broadband. Previously, he served for fifteen years as a staff member in the US Senate, including his final seven years with Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), advising him on telecommunications, financial services, housing, transportation and other key issues. Prior to that, he served as Professional Staff Member to Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman David Pryor (D-AR), including an assignment as a special liaison to Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), and earlier as a Legislative Assistant to Senator Donald W. Riegle, Jr. (D-MI). Before his service in the Senate, he was a Teaching Fellow in the Department of History, Harvard University, while studying at the Kennedy School of Government, and a Teaching Assistant in the Department of History, Stanford University, and as a Communications Consultant to the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He received an M.A. in History and a B.A. with Distinction in Political Science from Stanford University. Born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota, he and his wife, Karen, have two children, Adam and Lexi.He will be missed.