[registrars] Important Announcement

["Michael D. Palage" <michael@palage.com>]

Hello All:

I want to thank Bruce and Elliot for the words of encouragement in
connection with the upcoming meeting. I do not mind the long, and at times
thankless hours, associated is serving a leadership role within the
constituency. It is an honor that I have truly enjoyed. However, I wanted to
advise everyone prior to the DC meeting that I will not be standing for
reelection in the upcoming elections currently scheduled for July of this
year. Although I have contemplated on standing for reelection over the past
couple of months, I finally made my decision final last Tuesday after
strolling past the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. There is a little
bit of irony in this fact, as it was at the hotel Adelon (next to the
Brandenburg Gate) almost four years ago that I was elected interim
secretariat of the fledgling Registrar Constituency. Bob Connelly has an
excellent story of my qualifications to be the first representative of the
registrars, I came with a yellow tablet, took notes and was not afraid to
stand up and take an unpopular position. Over the past four years I have
tried my best to provide leadership to the constituency in a manner that
advocates the collective best interests of registrar community as opposed to
the special interest of any specific registrar.

Although I will still remain an active participant in the registrar
constituency on behalf of various registrar clients, I have decide to throw
my hat into the ring in connection with the upcoming GNSO Board election
process. I believe that ICANN as an organization is at an important
cross-roads, much like the registrar constituency of four years ago. I think
I can help make ICANN a more responsive organization to both its providers
and users within the frame work of the recently completed evolution and
reform process.

Although the prudent political move would be for me to hold on to an elected
seat and run for reelection until securing the ICANN Board seat, I think
over the years I have proven to be rather unconventional at times. Moreover,
I believe it is time for new leaders to step forward and share their views.
By giving this advance notice, I believe that the next couple of months will
provide candidates the opportunity to gain the trust of their peers prior to
running for various positions.

In retrospect I would like to share one of the highest and lowest moments
within the constituency over the years.

High point: Getting 50 ICANN accredited registrars from 16 different
countries, including 7 out of the
top 10 registrars, to support ICANN Evolution and Reform. Unlike other
constituencies that sought to make unreasonable demands on ICANN in
connection with its reform, the registrar took the high road. I believe that
the fact that Registrars and Registries share equal voting rights with the
user community (two to one) in the new GNSO is a direct result of our
positive leadership that the constituency provided.

Low point: Melbourne Australia in the Spring of 2000 during the ICANN
regional meeting on the topic of revising the ICANN-VeriSign contract.
During the public comment period, I presented a rather fiery statement
regarding the registrar constituency's opposition of the contract
renegotiations that would allow VeriSign to retain both registry/registrar.
To say that I got roasted would be an understand. But want disappointed me
most was the fact that the CEOs of several large registrars spoke with me
personally before the public forum stating the need for the registrar
constituency to take a firm stance against this proposed contract
renegotiation. At first I thought these large registrars would be taking the
microphone after me with equally fiery endorsements. But guess what, it
never happened.

What I found out after the fact was that an alleged Plan B of the contract
negotiations was for VeriSign to remain a domain name reseller. The original
contract stated that they could not be a registrar, nothing about them being
a reseller (their lawyers are GOOD). Under alleged Plan B, VeriSign would
have become a reseller of one of the major registrars that were
inconspicuously quiet during the public comment period.

I hold no grudge toward these companies as they were acting on the best
interest of their shareholders. However, what it did enlighten me to was the
fact that the registrar constituency can be a powerful platform, and that
when the registrar constituency speaks it must not speak in a cloaked manner
but with a clear recognition of what registrars are signatories to the
statements, absent extenuating circumstances. This is what I like to call
"accountability".

Anyway there is a lot of collective work to be done. I look forward to
seeing many of you next week in DC, and I will keep you posted of any
developments as they might occur,

Best regards,

Mike