FCC Chief Names David B. Robbins as New Managing Director

WASHINGTON: FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced today the appointment of David B. Robbins as Managing Director of the Commission. Robbins will begin September 12, 2011. He will succeed Steve VanRoekel, who left the agency earlier this year for a post at USAID and is currently the U.S. chief technology officer.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said, “In our constant effort to be a model of excellence in government, I am pleased to welcome David Robbins to the commission as managing director. David’s leadership and management experience will be invaluable as we continue our efforts to do our work on behalf of the public more efficiently and effectively. The dedicated professional staff at the FCC is our most valuable resource and I look forward to working with David to continue empowering our team in ways that help us reach our important goals on behalf of the American people.”

Robbins joins the FCC from the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he served as associate administrator for the Office of Management & Administration, leading a number of the SBA’s core functions, including human capital management, facilities management, security, records management, executive secretariat, administrative services, and grants management. At SBA, he also served as director of the Loan Management & Accounting Systems Modernization Program.

Robbins began his distinguished public service career at the Federal Trade Commission, where he served as an assistant director, attorney, and senior program manager in the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. In addition, before joining the FTC, Robbins spent more than 15 years working in the private sector as an executive, senior manager, IT professional, and attorney. Robbins received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1995, and a B.S. in Computer Science from Rutgers University/Livingston College in 1986.

The FCC’s Office of the Managing Director is responsible for the administration and management of the commission. Specifically, OMD manages the commission's budget and financial programs, human resources, contracts, purchasing, communications, computer services, physical space, security, the commission meeting schedule, and distribution of official FCC documents.