139 REPLY TO: .,. D 135 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1501 (202) 224-3744 www.grassley.senate.gov D 721 FEDERAL BUILDING 210 WALNUT STREET DES MOINES, lA 50309-2106 (515) 288-1145 0 111 7TH AvENUE, SE, Box 13 SUITE 6800 CEDAR RAPIDS, lA 52401-2101 (319) 363-6832 The Honorable Aj jt Pai Chairman tlnitcd ~tatcs ~cnatc CHARLES E. GRASSLEY WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1501 February 13, 2017 ReceivP.d & lnsnected FEB 21 20H Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW FCC Mail Room Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Pai: REPLY To: D 120 FEDERAL BUILDING 320 6TH STREET SIOUX CITY, lA 51 101-1244 (712) 233-1860 D 210 WATERLOO BUILDING 531 COMMERCIAL STREET WATERLOO, lA 50701-5497 (319) 232-6657 D 201 WEST 2ND STREET SUITE 720 DAVENPORT, lA 52801-1817 (563) 322-4331 D 307 FEDERAL BUILDING 8 SOUTH 6TH STREET COUNCIL BLUFFS, lA 51501-4204 (712) 322-7103 Enclosed please find some information about Mr. Lee Seydel, Chief Technology Officer of Fiberutilities Group, LLC, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is submitting an application to serve on the Broadband Deployment Advisory CounciL I ask that this nomination be given all due consideration. Any information or assistance you could provide me with respect to this issue would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and effort on this matter. If I may be of any assistance with this application, please contact my office at 202-224-3744. CHAIRMAN, ' JUDICIARY Sincerely, Charles E. Grassley United States Senator Committee Assignments: AGRICULTURE BUDGET FINANCE PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Co-CHAIRMAN, INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL CAUCUS Nominee & Contact Information: Mr. Lee Seydel ChiefTechnology Officer Fiberutilities Group, LLC. 222 Third A venue SE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401 (319) 364-3200 Lseydel@fiberutilities.com Nominee's Organization: Fiberutilities Group, LLC Founded in 2004, Fiberutilities Group LLC (FG) is a professional management and technology company specializing in planning, building and operating client-owned fiber networks. Since inception, FG has focused on assisting clients obtain and manage next generation, high capacity I low latency optical networks. FG has experienced continued and sustainable growth over the past decade earning FG the Corridor Business Journal's '25 Fastest Growing Companies' award. FG has also been awarded Technology Company of the Year by the Technology Association of Iowa. FG is technology, vendor and carrier neutral. The FG executive team has an average of25+ years of operating, computer, wireless, networking and telecommunications experience. Operating a full-featured 24 x 7 x 365 redundant Network Operations Center (NOC) allows FG to manage over 15,000 network miles for a variety of clients across the Midwest. FG has facilitated over $52 million in private network projects and over $80 million in federally funded projects. In addition to a variety of private sector networks, FG was awarded management responsibilities for the Iowa Communications Network (ICN), the State of Iowa's fiber network that connects all 99 counties with reliable, high speed optical transport. Similarly, the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) for the State oflowa has retained FG to assist in the development and deployment of a number of state broadband initiatives. Nominee's Qualifications: Mr. Seydel's extensive industry experience spans 30 years of network and technology management, with a track record of success through innovative collaboration. With a strong foundation in both software and network development, Mr. Seydel has made significant contributions as part of industry leading teams including Texas Instruments, Xerox, DSC, MCI and McLeod USA. As Chief Technology Officer of Fiberutilities Group, LLC, Mr. Seydel has actively planned and managed nearly $50 million dollars of grant development programs associated with the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) and the Rural Health Care Pilot Program (RHCPP). In senior leadership positions, Mr. Seydel has served as Director of Intelligent Distributed Network Architecture for MCI, as Vice President ofNetwork Services for McLeodUSA and as Chief Technology Officer for Fiberutilities Group, LLC. Mr. Seydel has been responsible for the construction, installation and operation of thousands of miles of next-generation infrastructure across the central United States. Mr. Seydel brings both a depth and breadth of experience to the ever-changing landscape of technology innovation and broadband deployment. In addition to his strong technology and leadership skills, Mr. Seydel brings a keen understanding of the importance of broadband in rural America. I believe that the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee would be greatly enhanced by Mr. Seydel's broad industry experience and knowledge, as well as his uniquely qualified perspective regarding the role of technology in rural communities. Mr. Seydel is a 1981 graduate of the University oflowa, Iowa City, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Computer Science. He is co-inventor in 5 technology I telecommunications patents. Lobbyist Status: Mr. Seydel is not a registered federal lobbyist.