STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER MEREDITH A. BAKER AT SILICON 
FLATIRONS ON CONTRIBUTION OF DALE N. HATFIELD.
I want to commend Dale Hatfield for his immense contributions and commitment to the 
communications industry. He has been one of this industry’s foremost educators and 
guides for nearly 40 years at NTIA, the FCC, and now here in Colorado. Throughout his 
career, he has exemplified the ideals of integrity, dedication, and achievement.  
Chairmen, Commissioners, and Administration officials have turned to him during 
difficult decisions for his balanced and objective counsel.  
Not only is Dale an internationally known expert on spectrum management, he is, at 
heart, a teacher.  He has selflessly instructed and encouraged over a generation of 
lawyers, practitioners, and engineers both here and abroad.  When Dale speaks, he makes 
spectrum tangible and understandable in a way that only he can. As we tackle critical 
issues like spectrum reform, it is fortuitous that so many of us at the Commission learned 
the fundamentals from Dale. When I was at NTIA, we were tasked with establishing the 
Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (“CSMAC”). Dale was an 
obvious and easy choice to chair this critical advisory organization. This is just yet 
another instance in which Dale answered the call of public service. As always, he has 
served tirelessly with great distinction.  He could not have done any of this without the 
gracious support of his wife, Pat.    
I thank Dale for his public service, his infectious enthusiasm for our industry and its 
future, and his friendship.