[registrars] Changes at PSI-USA, Inc.

["Robert F. Connelly" <rconnell@psi-japan.com>]

Dear Colleagues:

[This note was read to the Registrars Constituency meeting today in Marina 
del Rey;]

During the ICANN Meeting in Montevideo, you heard of my disappointment with 
the large number of inappropriate registrations made during the Afilias 
Sunrise Period;  my patience was then exhausted by the lack of 
communications from Afilias to Accredited registrars.

Some of you misunderstood my statement that I am very reluctant to resign 
from anything as a protest.  I stated that I have not resigned from any 
organization in protest in the last 38 years;  I had learned that I could 
never change such a group from outside;  better I should stay in the group 
and continue to press for constructive change.

But what I *would* consider doing was to sell PSI-USA, Inc., the firm which 
holds the shares in Afilias.  If the new owners insisted, I would remain in 
the office of Director for the remaining two years of my term.  (The 
business of PSI-Japan would continue as it has since August of 1999.)

Later, I proposed to the Afilias Directors that we address the bad press 
which followed the Sunrise Period by selecting outsider Directors who had 
reputations for high integrity and a broad knowledge of domain names.  I 
suggested someone like Amadeu Abril i Abril or Don Heath.  Recognizing that 
Amadeu's position on the ICANN Board would prevent his participation, I 
contacted Don Heath, who showed an interest.

For those of you who do not know Don Heath, let me provide some 
background.  Don was President of ISOC until about a year ago.  In the 
fourth quarter of 1996, the Late Jon Postel proposed that there be new 
gTLDs.  He conveyed his findings to Don.  Don then formed the International 
Ad Hoc Committee (IAHC) and charged the Committee to study the possibility 
of creating new gTLDs and to make recommendations on the subject.  In other 
words, Don was present at the very genesis of this process we are all 
involved in.  What followed was POC, PAB, CORE, the Green Paper, White 
Paper and -- you guessed it -- ICANN, NC and RC;-)

At the 20 October meeting of the Afilias Shareholders, I announced that I 
would step down as Director at the end of the Afilias Board meeting, later 
in the afternoon -- and that we would appoint Don Heath to fill my term as 
Director of Afilias.

Subsequent to the Dublin meeting, PSI-USA, Inc. has sold 51% of our equity 
to a European registrar, InterNetX.  InterNetX asked that our management 
team, myself included, remain in the company.  They also endorsed my 
appointment of Don Heath as Director.

In closing, portions of my September Email were misquoted in the press -- 
and posted by persons unknown to me on ICANN-Watch.  If you have any 
questions about what I have said or require clarification, please contact 
me.  I don't want to compound the prior confusion.   I believe Don will be 
a great asset to Afilias and to this process in which were engaged.

Cordially, BobC