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Some of the organizations that testified to have Verizon receive relaxed, statewide cable franchise competition. " Rossmoor Computer Club, " Latino Institute " Argent
Rossmoor Computer Club. We learn that the founder got in touch with Verizon for funding and now it is the group's primary supporter. "Haley called on Verizon Foundation for help. In 1997, New Jersey External Affairs Manager Anna Lustenberg listened to Mr. Haley's pitch for his club, and she encouraged him to request IRS recognition as a nonprofit 501(c)3. Mr. Haley did. And today, the foundation is the organization's primary corporate supporter." Argent Associates. The group's partners include AT&T and Verizon. In fact, Argent has some interesting ties to Verizon when a Hispanic group, "The National Latino Technology Achievers", had an event and gave out awards to Argent and Verizon. "Ramon (Ray) Moya, vice president of technology and chief operating officer, Argent Associates, was honored with the Excellence in Telecommunications Award at the National Latino Technology Achievers Award Gala, hosted by the Latinos in Sciences and Information Technology Association (LISTA), at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center on Wednesday, June 29, 2005". We note that Moya was a former Verizon staffer. "joined Argent, a certified minority- and female-owned supply-chain management company, in 2003, after more than 20 years in the telecommunications industry with Verizon." We then find that the awards also went to Verizon, Nielsen Media Research and Con Edison. "The National Latino Technology Achievers Award Gala also honored other industry executives during the gala, including Magda Yrizarry of Verizon, Susan Whiting of Nielsen Media Research, John Villamil of Aspira, and Felipe Alvarez of Con Edison Communications." Elsewhere we find that Argent, Nielsen Media, Verizon and Con Edison were also the sponsors of the event. "The event was sponsored by: Nielsen Media Research, AMD - Applied Micro Devices, Verizon, Prudential, Con Edison, Staples, Argent Associates, NBC 4 /Telemundo 47, Provident Bank of New Jersey, NY Tiempo, DTM, Latina Style" And just to show the reach, the second event, also sponsored by Verizon, AT&T and Comcast was a 'breakfast for DC legislative types, to discuss the "Telecommunications Act" "Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association announced today that their National Legislative-Executive Breakfast was a huge success. On April 27th 2006 LISTA hosted its Annual Legislative Breakfast in Washington DC, the last stop of a national executive series which began in New Jersey. This breakfast series which was attended by more than 150 technology executives, non for profit and business executives, government officials and staffers from NJ and Washington DC were brought together to have a dialogue on the issues of the reform of the Telecommunications act 1996 and its affect on the Latino community." We can expect that the topic was about the franchise issues and certainly not about the current obligations and failed deployments. The Latino Institute. Besides testifying at the state legislature, the Latino institute also wrote Op eds. "Cable Franchise System Creates Barriers to Success," El Especialito, May 12, 2006 THE LATINO INSTITUTE, INC. receives funding from the Verizon foundation. Here is the amount for 2005: $13,000.00 http://foundation.verizon.com/givingreport/vfcgr_data_2005.shtml |