William Kennard
Bill Kennard | |
|---|---|
| United States Ambassador to the European Union | |
| In office November 23, 2009 – July 29, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Kristen Silverberg |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Gardner |
| Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission | |
| In office November 3, 1997 – January 19, 2001 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Reed Hundt |
| Succeeded by | Michael Powell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Earl Kennard January 19, 1957 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Stanford University (BA) Yale University (JD) |
William Earl Kennard (born January 19, 1957) is an American attorney and former government official. Kennard served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton, and was the first African American to lead the agency. In 2009, Kennard was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as Ambassador to the European Union, serving until 2013.
During his time in the private sector, Kennard was managing director of The Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm. He has also served on the board of directors of several public and private corporations.