OET Head Julius Knapp to Retire Jan. 3
After more than 45 years with the FCC, including 13 as head of the Office of Engineering and Technology, Julius Knapp will retire effective Jan. 3, he said Wednesday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Knapp "is an FCC institution, and…
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I will miss him for his expertise, his leadership, and his friendship." Knapp was named OET deputy chief in May 2001 and chief in October 2006. "I've loved it," Knapp told us. He said, with his wife retiring and after more than 45 years with the agency, the timing was right. He said OET leadership transition "will be addressed in due course." Former Chairman Tom Wheeler emailed that Knapp "is a National Treasure," and has been "a guide for Chairman after Chairman as the world evolved from analog to digital. Forty-five years at the FCC means Julie was pre-G; he has seen it all." Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said Knapp has been "a role model for me and countless other FCC employees [and] the gold standard for civil servants." The FCC "faces a monumental loss," Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said. Knapp helped "to lead our nation’s communications policy across many Administrations and with so varied a set of Commissioners." Knapp "is such a fantastic authority, a terrific teacher, and an extraordinary colleague whose input has improved countless decisions at the agency," said Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. Commissioner Brendan Carr called Knapp "one of the most consequential public servants the federal government has known." With most agency staffers lawyers, “Julie's knowledge & advice were critical in making sound policy,” tweeted Gigi Sohn, fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy, who was at the FCC under Wheeler. “One of the few things people could still agree on in D.C. is the integrity of Julie's engineering analysis,” said Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld. The Wireless ISP Association and Qualcomm also had accolades.