Internet2 Names New CEO: H. David Lambert

News provided by

Jul 08, 2010, 10:38 ET

ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Internet2 today announced the appointment of H. David (Dave) Lambert as its new president and CEO. Lambert brings over 30 years of distinguished experience in the advanced research and education networking and information technology fields. Lambert will replace Internet2's current president and CEO Douglas Van Houweling effective July 13, 2010.

The announcement of Lambert's appointment comes on the heels of the news last week that Internet2 and several partners have been awarded a $62.5 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The grant will provide funding to construct a national infrastructure called the United States Unified Community Anchor Network (U.S. UCAN) that will, in partnership with regional and state research and education networks, connect America's community anchor institutions to enable the use of life-changing applications not possible with today's typical Internet service.

"We are honored to have Dave join Internet2 as its new president and CEO. I know that in Dave we have found a worthy successor to Doug, someone with the broad range of skills that will be required to lead Internet2 through an exciting next chapter of its development," said Jeff Lehman, chair of the Internet2 Board of Trustees. "Dave's many years of service in higher education, coupled with his sustained record of engagement with Internet2, provide him with deep insight into the changing landscape that confronts our members every day. He understands the opportunities and challenges that await our community, and over the course of his career he has built a broad and deep level of respect and trust that will serve our community extremely well."

Lambert currently serves as the Vice President for Information Services and Chief Information Officer at Georgetown University where for the past twelve years he has successfully moved the university forward in the strategic application of information technology across a wide range of university programs and services. His leadership efforts focused on deployment of an advanced technology infrastructure, modern information systems, and responsive technology support services.

Lambert is a founding member of the Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX), a regional advanced Internet consortium, which provides critical connectivity for the research and education community and for many government agencies in the Greater Washington D.C. region. Lambert has also had active involvement in other national higher education technology initiatives such as the Common Solutions Group.

"I am humbled and extremely honored to have been chosen by the Board of Trustees as the second President and Chief Executive Officer for Internet2," said Lambert. "My involvement in Internet2 from its founding in 1996 has given me a keen appreciation of the critical role Internet2's programs and services play in enabling America's foremost universities' and corporations' use of advanced networking technologies. I am excited to have the opportunity to lead Internet2's advanced networking communities into the next decade."

Prior to joining Georgetown, Lambert served as Vice President for Information Technology at Cornell University from 1994 through 1997 and as Director of Network Services from 1989 through 1993. As Director of Network Services, Lambert was responsible for networking and communications technologies and services for the university and for Cornell National Supercomputer Facility.

Doug Van Houweling, Internet2's current president and CEO said, "I am delighted that the Internet2 Board has chosen Dave Lambert to lead Internet2. His consultative approach to leadership will serve us well as the community addresses its new opportunity to broaden its service to the nation and enhance its support for research and education."

Lambert is also currently the co-chair of the Internet2 External Research Advisory Council (ERAC), and Chair of the Standing Committee on International Strategy. He has held a number of leadership positions in higher education technology associations, including service as Board Chairman of the New York State Education and Research Network (NYSERNet). He represents Georgetown University as Trustee of the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) where he serves as the Chair of the SURA IT Committee and on the Executive Committee of its Board of Trustees. Lambert has also served on the board of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).

"I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from Dave in many contexts," said ERAC chair Tim Lance, NYSERNet's president and board chair. "I have benefited from his guidance in my work at NYSERNet, on ERAC, and in a host of other areas. I cannot think of a more worthy or talented successor to Doug, and we are indeed fortunate that he has agreed to take on this challenging role."

The CEO search process began in December of 2009 with the appointment of a special Board CEO Search committee, which was led by Molly Corbett Broad, President of the American Council on Education (ACE). Supported by the Executive Search Firm, Storbeck Pimentel, the committee reviewed over 70 qualified applicants for the position.

Corbett Broad said, "Dave Lambert brings broad-gauged understanding of the rapidly transforming capabilities and uses of information technology to Internet2. He has a deep knowledge of advanced uses of IT in applications that serve our most complex research universities, and he is extraordinarily skilled in bringing people together to maximize the potential of collaboration."

Lambert's academic background includes a B.A. in Political Science from West Virginia University (1971) and doctoral studies in Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington (1972-1976). He also holds the Professional Manager Certificate from Indiana University's Graduate School of Business.

About Internet2(R)

Internet2 is an advanced networking consortium led by the research and education community. An exceptional partnership spanning U.S. and international institutions who are leaders in the worlds of research, academia, industry and government, Internet2 is developing breakthrough cyberinfrastructure technologies that support the most exacting applications of today -- and spark the most essential innovations of tomorrow. Led by its members and focused on their current and future networking needs since 1996, Internet2 blends its human, IP and optical networks to develop and deploy revolutionary Internet technologies. Activating the same partnerships that produced today's Internet, the Internet2 community is forging the Internet of the future. For more information, see http://www.internet2.edu.

SOURCE Internet2