[registrars] Acceptance of Nomination

["Ross Wm. Rader" <ross@tucows.com>]

Registrars,

I would like to thank Paul Kane and Bhavin Turakhia for their nomination and
second to stand for election to the DNSO Names Council. I accept it with
gratitude.

My agenda for the next two years is straightforward.

First, we must work together to ensure that the voice of ICANN-accredited
registrars continues to be heeded where it most counts, at the ICANN Board
and within the Names Council.

In the coming months ICANN will be restructured to facilitate a meaningful
representative structure for individuals. Over the longer term, other
constituencies within ICANN will likely strive to implement a representative
structure that more accurately reflects the interests of the various
stakeholders

While the Registrar Constituency has not yet determined its formal position
concerning a Registrar or "Provider" Supporting Organization, I strongly
support these general goals and will make it my priority to advance these
positions in a manner beneficial to the Registrar Constituency. This may
mean that the Names Council might be dismantled in favor of direct
Supporting Organization representation on the ICANN Board of Directors. I
understand and accept this implication. I believe that all of our Names
Council representatives, regardless of who is elected, must be prepared to
work themselves out of a job, if it is in the best interests of the
Constituency.

A strong Registrar Constituency will be required to support this agenda.
Various proposals have been put forth concerning how the Registrar
Constituency can be strengthened. The new ExComm, revised by-laws,
professional support staff - all highly important steps in the right
direction. Steps that I will continue actively to support both as a
Constituency member and your elected representative to the Names Council.

The second element of my agenda is to continue to facilitate the work that
the Constituency has started with the transfer issue. Resolving the transfer
policy question is but the first step in our march towards a more
comprehensive and efficient operating policy environment. Our work will not
be done when the transfer issue is resolved. New policy needs to be created
and old policy needs to be clarified on several specific operating issues
that affect each of our businesses every day. These areas include:
warehousing, front-running, registration periods, rights in names and more.
Without resolution of these points, consumer confidence in our industry will
suffer and our respective businesses will be irreparably harmed.  I will
continue to pursue the resolution of these issues and believe that we, as a
Constituency, will continue to break new ground in the determination of
consensus policy - policy that aids our business interests, benefits
consumers and maintains our Constituency's position of influence within
ICANN. We, the cooks, must take control of our kitchen in order to continue
serve our customers and shareholders.

Lastly, it is my intention to listen to each one of you and work to increase
the participation of accredited Registrars in the ICANN process. I have
learned over the last year that those who are often silent on any given
issue usually have a quite a contribution to make. The key to ensuring that
this contribution is made is in recognizing that it exists and then looking
for it. Each of you has my promise that I will look for this contribution
from you and your organization. We must work harder to ensure that all
Registrar voices are heard and all Registrar input is considered.

I look forward to working with each one of you and your organizations in
achieving these goals.

If you have any questions concerning my candidacy, please feel free to ask
them publicly via this mailing list, or drop me a line privately. It is my
aim to ensure that each of you has a comfortable understanding of what I
feel are the important objectives as it relates to this position.

Thanks,

Ross Wm. Rader
Director, Innovation & Research
Tucows Inc.
t. 416.538.5492
f. 416.531.5584


Statement of Interest & Experience

1994 - 1999, Internet Direct Canada Inc. I served in a number of positions
including Director of Marketing, General Manager, Manager of Technical
Support Services and Director of Corporate Services for one of Canada's
largest Internet Service Providers. It was during this period that I began
my involvement with the DNS management and oversight process with the launch
of Domain Direct. One of my primary responsibilities was ensuring that our
involvement with the IAHC & CORE processes was complimentary to our business
interests. Also during this period, I became a founding director of RISC, an
ISP association with the mandate of protecting the interests of Internet
Service Providers in Canada's regulatory regime.

1999 - Present, Tucows Inc. Tucows was initially a spin-off from Internet
Direct. My involvement in the DNS continued with the new firm where I was
responsible for the development of OpenSRS. These new responsibilities and
the accreditation of Tucows by ICANN required that I take a more public role
within the ICANN process and the Registrar Constituency. My current role is
to manage the corporate development and policy initiatives of the firm.

Disclosure of Interest

-         I am the registrar representative to the Names Council Task Force.
-         I do not hold any other elected positions.
-         I am not currently a director of any organization.
-         I do not have any shareholdings in any DNSO-related corporation.
-         Neither I, nor Tucows, maintain a membership in any other ICANN
          Constituency.
-         Tim Denton is retained by Tucows to consult on a number of DNS
          policy issues.
-         Tucows is a recognized registrar with many registries.
-         Tucows has business dealings with many ICANN-related companies.
-         Tucows is the registry of record for St. Vincent & the Grenadines
           (.vc)
-         Tucows wholly owns LibertyRMS, a registry operations manager.
-         Tucows is currently a member of CORE & Afilias.

If there are any questions concerning this disclosure, please do not
hesitate to contact me for clarification.