FirstNet President TJ Kennedy will leave the organization behind America’s first public safety broadband network for first responders at year-end; he plans to go into the private sector, Urgent Communications reported.
He said the time is right, now that he and other team members have seen several FirstNet tasks to fruition, including creating a business model, awarding a contract and seeing through that contract. Kennedy’s confident in AT&T, noting that they are already showing what “they can accomplish.” Kennedy didn’t disclose where he’s going, other than to say he plans to continue to be a public safety advocate and “continue to make FirstNet and the public-safety network successful.”
“The network is happening,” Kennedy told Urgent Communications. “There are no longer the questions of four and half years ago: Is this going to happen? Can it happen?”
In reaction, FirstNet said in a statement that Kennedy “has been with FirstNet from the startup days and into our current operational phase—fulfilling the promise to us and public safety.” By staying through the end of the year, he’ll enable “a smooth transition of responsibilities.”
Kennedy came to FirstNet in 2013, as deputy general manager for then GM Bill D’Agostino; Kennedy became acting GM after D’Agostino resigned in 2014. The FirstNet board chose Mike Poth as FirstNet CEO and Kennedy as president in 2015.
November 13, 2017
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