Warsaw Graduate Appointed As New FCC Chief Economist
Posted
Staff Report-
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Dec. 27 the appointment of Steven Wildman to the position of FCC chief economist. Wildman is a 1967 Warsaw High School graduate and the son of Rex and Lorabel Wildman, Warsaw. He is an expert on communications and media issues, holds the James H. Quello Chair of telecommunications studies and is serving as the acting chair of the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media at Michigan State University. Wildman will begin his role this month. Genachowski said, “I’m very pleased that Steve will be joining the commission. He has a stellar record as an economist and has conducted important research on broadband adoption and spectrum management, among other topics. The chief economist’s role and office are critical to the agency’s work and its understanding of complex economic issues related to the communications sector.” Wildman will take over as chief economist from Marius Schwartz, who is returning to his prior role as a professor of economics at Georgetown University. Wildman’s teaching and research focus on economics, law and policy across the communications industry, and the impact of information technologies on the organization of economic activities. He has conducted detailed research on broadband adoption examining infrastructure cost structures and demand in rural and underserved areas. He has also studied the efficiency properties of alternative spectrum governance regimes and network interconnection policy. He has held numerous fellowships and received prominent awards, including the Information and Telecommunications Education and Research Association Distinguished Research Award, the Journal of Media Economics Award of Honor for Scholarly Contributions and the McGannon Award for Social and Ethical Relevance in Communications Policy Research. Prior to joining Michigan State University, Wildman was an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Department of Communications Studies. He has also worked at the University of California’s Department of Economics. Wildman holds a Ph.D in economics from Stanford University, as well as an master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University and Wabash College respectively.
