The Telecommunications Industry Association has stepped outside telecom industry boundaries and recruited a longtime Washington, D.C. association leader to fill the newly created position of CEO.
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) , which represents industry manufacturers and technology developers, today handed the reins to Scott Belcher, former president and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America). TIA President Grant Seiffert, who has been with the association since 1996 and served as president since 2007, will report to Belcher, according to TIA's statement. Belcher's 25 years of experience also includes stints with the National Academy of Public Administration, a private law firm and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Taly Walsh, TIA's VP of marketing, networking and intelligence, told Light Reading that the association is not commenting on the appointment -- so it remains unclear why the CEO post was created and why TIA opted to step outside the industry to fill it. The association, which is the former co-owner of the once-substantial Supercomm trade show, has struggled in recent years to replicate its previous success in the events realm.
TIA issued a statement saying that Belcher will "expand our capabilities and bring valuable new perspectives to our industry," and that he will oversee TIA operations and strategic direction.
— Jason Meyers, Senior Editor, Gigabit Cities/IoT, Light Reading