Washington, D.C. – March 13th, 2012 The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) presented its 2012 SIA Leadership in Government Award to Brian H. Nilsson, Director of Non-Proliferation, Export Controls, National Security Staff at the White House, for his leadership on reforms of the nation’s export control system.
SIA’s President, Patricia Cooper, presented the award at SIA’s Fifteenth Satellite Leadership Dinner at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on Monday, March 12th, in Washington, D.C. The Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, Michael B. Donley and Ambassador Philip L. Verveer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, provided keynote remarks at the dinner.
“SIA is pleased to recognize Mr. Nilsson for his tireless work toward improving the nation’s overall export control structure and also satellite export control reform,” said Patricia Cooper, President of the Satellite Industry Association. “Right-sizing satellite export control policy is a key priority for SIA and its members, and Mr. Nilsson’s work has strengthened the overall export controls environment.”
SIA’s Leadership in Government Award is presented to a government official or member of Congress who has demonstrated long-term leadership and dedication to public service in issues affecting the satellite industry and has served as an example to others in government. The Satellite Leadership in Government Award has been awarded to nine previous recipients, including Rural Utilities Service Administrator Jonathan Adelstein (2011), Major General Ellen Pawlikowski (2010), General James Cartwright and Mr. Richard Russell, Ambassador to the 2007 World Radio Conference (2008); Representative Ellen Tauscher and Maj. Gen. James B. Armor Jr. (2007); Senator Ted Stevens (2006); and Admiral James O. Ellis Jr. and Tom Tycz, Federal Communications Commission (2005).
Brian H. Nilsson joined the White House National Security Staff’s (NSS) Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate in September of 2008, on detail from the U.S. Department of Commerce. His responsibilities at the NSS include export controls, both dual-use and munitions, and defense trade issues. During his tenure at the Department of Commerce, spanning over 20 years, he has served in many senior positions, including Chairman of the Operating Committee for Export Policy, Deputy Director of the Foreign Policy Division, and Acting Director of the Office of Strategic Trade and Foreign Policy Controls.
ABOUT THE SATELLITE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION:
SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing worldwide representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. Since its creation in 1995, SIA has become the unified voice of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business.
SIA Executive Members include: ARTEL, LLC.; The Boeing Company; The DIRECTV Group; EchoStar Satellite Services, LLC; Harris CapRock Communications; Hughes Network Systems, LLC; Integral Systems, Inc.; Intelsat, S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; LightSquared; Lockheed Martin Corporation.; Loral Space & Communications, Inc.; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Rockwell Collins Government Systems; and SES, S.A. SIA Associate Members include: ATK Inc.; Cisco; Cobham SATCOM Land Systems; Comtech EF Data Corporation; DRS Technologies, Inc.; Eutelsat, Inc.; GE Satellite; Globecomm Systems, Inc.; Glowlink Communications Technology, Inc.; iDirect Government Technologies; Inmarsat, Inc.; Marshall Communications Corporation.; Orbital Sciences Corporation; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Spacecom, Ltd.; Spacenet Inc.; TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.; Telesat Canada; Ultisat, Inc.; ViaSat, Inc.; and XTAR, LLC.
Additional information about SIA can be found at www.sia.org.
