Raymond Alan Plzak

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For more information about the ASO AC ICANN Board Seat 9/10 Elections, please see here.

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Last modified on 04/02/2020

27 comments

  1. Tony Holmes says:

    I wish to offer support for Ray’s re-election. As an existing ICANN Board Director Ray has demonstrated his dedication to the task and his first hand knowledge of ICANN, coupled with a broad appreciation of the varied views of different stakeholders makes him the outstanding candidate to fill this vacant position. Ray’s appointment would enable him to continue his good work that will benefit all.

  2. As CEO of ARIN,I was particularly impressed with Ray’s determination to reach out to Caribbean Internet Stakeholders and his dedication in ecouraging their participation in ARIN’s Policy processes. He conducted ARIN’s Caribbean outreach with integrity and impartiality and demonstrated a genuine appreciation for the challenges faced by regions such as ours.

    Ray has insight, knowledge and years of experience in Internet development which made him eminently qualified for appointment to the ICANN Board. I supported his candidacy for his first term, and I have no reservation whatsoever in lending my unequivocal support to his appointment for a second term.

  3. Francisco Obispo says:

    Ray is a talented individual who has demonstrated leadership in the Address Community. I fully support his reappointment. As a former ASO Address Council Member, I was a witness of his dedication and commitment to this community.

  4. John Sweeting says:

    I fully support Ray’s bid for appointment to the ICANN Board. He is extremely qualified for the position and has been a great asset during his first term. He has the knowledge, experience and reputation to get things done and provides a level of understanding that only someone with his background could provide. Ray is the obvious choice to fill this position.

  5. Kuo-Wei Wu says:

    I support the reappointment of Ray Plzak to be the ICANN Board of Directors. I’ve known Ray Plzak for years since I served for APNIC EC. He is the right person to represent the RIR community and serve the ICANN community. It is critical for ICANN board member who is appointed by ASO to have knowledge and experience not only in Internet registry operation and policy development, but also in the global internet governance issues. The person has to know the issues, and has the ability to manage and propose a possible resolution for those issues. And Ray is the person, so I support Ray to sever ICANN Board for another term.

  6. Raimundo Beca says:

    I strongly support Ray’s candidacy for a second term at the ICANN Board appointed by the Address Council.

    Since October 2000, when Ray became ARIN’s CEO, I have had the privilege to work closely with him. At that time, and until December 2001, I was seating at the Address Council appointed by ARIN. Then, and until May 2004, when I was appointed by the Address Council as an ICANN Board Director, I continued to seat at the Address Council appointed now by LACNIC. In May 2007, I was reappointed by the Address Council to seat for a second term at the ICANN Board. Finally, when Ray was appointed by the Address Council to the ICANN Board, in May 2009, I had again the privilege to seat in tandem with him as the two Board Directors appointed by the ASO.

    In this context, a solid, friendly and fruitful cooperation with Ray and others, in the addressing community, was established. Over the years, the main outcomes of this cooperation have been: the recognition as RIRs of LACNIC, first, and AFRINIC, later; the drafting and signature, in that order, of the NRO MOU and the ASO MOU; and the adoption of a comprehensive set of global addressing policies. In particular, as a member of LACNIC’s community, I must underline the generosity and efficiency shown by Ray in the whole process of LACNIC’s recognition.

    Last but not least, let me state that on the year we served together at the ICANN Board, I have directly observed how Ray was always able to fulfill, in an equitable manner, its fiduciary duties in representation of all the ICANN community and in parallel helping to bridge the improvement of the relationships of the addressing community with ICANN. In particular, as a member of the ICANN Board – GAC Joint Working Group, which he co-chaired, and the SIC Board Committee, which he chairs, I have observed how Ray has been able to fulfill efficiently this double role.

    Clearly, observing now as an outsider Ray’s tenure at the ICANN Board, my evaluation is that he continues to assume this double role in the same efficient manner.

    To this extent, and continuing with a game we started in the early 2000s, when we decided that given that I am called Ray at home I would be Ray and he would be Raimundo in any Spanish speaking environment, let me Ray fully recommend the Address Council to reappoint Raimundo to the ICANN Board.

  7. As member of latin american community and also former lactld general manager is a real pleasure support Ray Plzak one more time. I think he give a clear vision to ICANN Board.

    All the best, and my complete support

    Erick

  8. I absolutely wish to support Ray’s re-election to the Board. I have worked with him in the past year as part of my current Chair position and Ray has been a model of efficiency thanks to his deep institutional knowledge and widespread experience in the way ICANN works.
    He has a strong analytical mind, meaning that he will actually take the time to analyze and understand proposals and ask pertinent questions to further his understanding and pinpoint inaccuracies or points that were overlooked.
    But he is also able to visualize the “big picture” and this, in my opinion, is a vital component of what a Board members should be able to do, especially in light of the forthcoming political challenges that ICANN is likely to face. His strength in this area as well as the respect he commands across ICANN’s multi-stakeholder environment makes him an excellent candidate for re-election.
    His experience is vital in these troubled times.

    Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond
    ALAC Chair

  9. Likewise I wish to give to Ray my absolute support and endorsement for his re-election to the ICANN Board for another term by the ASO in 2012.

    As Rita, Vanda, Carlton, Dennis and Marilyn have said most eloquently above, Ray has highly desirable (if not essential) ICANN Board specific characteristics, skill sets, experiences and expertise that make his continuation in the role a perfect choice indeed.

    As Chair of the ALAC during some critical times for ICANN and our AC we have closely engaged with Ray in both his ‘general Board role as well as through his leadership in various Board Sub Committees (notably from the ALAC experience with the SIC) and it these intense interactions where I draw so much of my rationale for supporting Ray from.

    Put simply he has developed a strong trust model with the ICANN communities he works with, not just with his consistent and hard work, as well as his general approach and pragmatism as outlined by others; But also with his willingness to listen, discuss, (yes debate robustly ;-) and above all assist progress wherever possible to make these “interactions” (short or long term) the most productive and successful they can be, in a professional yet still personable way.

    It is essential for any Support Organisation, when they are making such appointments as this, to consider how much impact and/or effect (how strong, trusted, well reasoned and valued etc.,) the ‘voice’ they are sending will be. Ray has already a highly respected, valued and well established voice on the ICANN Board as well as with the ASO and the wider ICANN Community, and building on this position/leverage by his re-election this year for a further term, the ASO would be, in my highly biased view, be making a very wise choice indeed.

  10. Rita Rodin says:

    I would like to support Ray’s re-election to the Board. ICANN is at an important juncture with, among other things, the new gTLD program and imminent appointment of its next CEO. The knowledge and experience that Ray brings to the table will be even more important during this time of transition. Having worked with Ray during my time on the Board, I found that he possessed the rare amalgam of technical knowledge, business savvy and pragmatism. Critical characteristics in my view of what will enable the ICANN Board to continue to strive for execution excellence derived from multistakeholder input. Ray also has the strength of personality to avoid undue pressure from one part(s) of the community and seek to resolve issues with input from all sides. A strong and obvious choice for ICANN.

  11. Vanda Scartezini says:

    I strongly support Ray for another term at ICANN Board; Ray was one of the key member of ICANN board I had the opportunity to work with. Focused on organization but open to new ideas and alternative thoughts, Ray helped to improve board performance. His capacity to improve performance working with groups was also clear with SSAC, where he helped to build basis for the consistent growth of this AC.

  12. Christian O'Flaherty says:

    Ray was a strong supporter for the LAC RIR during the early stages of Lacnic and he provided guidance and wise advices to many of us. I support Ray’s re-election to the ICANN Board of Directors

  13. Masanobu Katoh says:

    I support Ray Plzak for reelection to the ICANN board.
    I know Ray was acitive leading ARIN for a long time. Ray also has been active at other pilicy fora such as IGF. I am sure that his reelection contributes to further development of Internet environment in the future.

  14. ALS Taiwan says:

    ALS Taiwan supports Ray Plzak’s candidacy for the ICANN board. Ray Plzak has been consistent in his decisions and has a wealth of knowledge on different issues, and is always willing to commit his time to the Internet community. We look forward to have him on ICANN Board for another term!

  15. I strongly support Ray Plzak’s reappointment to the ICANN Board.
    I had the pleasure of working with Ray for a number of years on the ICANN Board. Ray is an excellent ICANN Board member, and brings his wide knowledge and experience, gained over a long, distinguished and very successful career, to the work and deliberations of the Board. Ray is conscientious and hard working, and during the time we worked together he contributed very significantly to the leadership and work of the ICANN Board through his chairing of the Structural Improvements committee and membership of the Governance committee. He also led a number of important improvements in the way the Board did its work and the way it communicated to the ICANN community. Ray is a straight-talking no-nonsense sort of guy who works hard to keep the ICANN board discussions at the strategic level while ensuring the appropriate direction of work through the ICANN CEO. His Board experience is extremely valuable to ICANN and should not be wasted. He most definitely should be asked to serve another three-year term.

  16. Roque Gagliano says:

    I support Raymond candidacy for the ICANN board. I think the ASO NC has a tough job this year as both Ray and Martin are very good candidates. Over-all I think Ray has shown consistency in his job at the ICANN board and his experience in ARIN and ICANN should be something that the ASO NC needs to weight when making a decision.

  17. Oscar Robles-Garay says:

    I’d like to express my support to Ray Plzak to the ICANN Board of Directors.
    Ray has been consistent in his decisions and has a deep knowledge on the different issues discussed at the Board like his involvement in the Governance Committee which has been crucial for the ICANN development.

  18. Marilyn Cade says:

    I wish to lend my support to Ray’s re election. Working within the ICANN Board takes a tremendous amount of time, and commitment. Ray has demonstrated that commitment, and has also shown a strong interest in learning more about the various stakeholders within ICANN, broadening his effectiveness, and ensuring a ‘listening’ model is emerging at ICANN.
    I also respect Ray’s understanding of the geo political challenges that ICANN faces, and must navigate, and his willingness to work effectively, and collegially with the broader community.
    The voice and participation of the ASO is essential to ICANN’s success. Having experienced board members is key. Thanks to Ray for his past service, and looking forward to another term! [and more hard work]. Marilyn Cade

  19. Jacqueline A, Morris says:

    I strongly support the reappointment of Ray Plzak to the ICANN Board of Directors

    On the ICANN Board, Ray has been very supportive of the outreach activities of ICANN, and has been a mentor to many of us from the developing countries trying to have our voices heard in ICANN policy discussions and decisions.
    Yet again, I support his reappointment to the ICANN Board for another term.

  20. Richard Jimmerson says:

    I strongly support Ray Plzak for reappointment to the ICANN Board.

    I had the pleasure of working with Ray for several years during his tenure as CEO at ARIN. I have always known him to be a strong supporter of open Internet development. I have witnessed his tireless efforts to promote the growth the Internet in the most inclusive ways possible for all stakeholders. His energy and passion to promote and foster the success of Internet infrastructure and coordination is truly inspiring.

    Richard Jimmerson

  21. Roosevelt King says:

    In support of Ray Plzak.

    Secretary General
    BANGO

  22. Carlton Samuels says:

    I strongly support reappointment of Ray Plzak to the ICANN Board of Directors and I’m personally urging all my colleagues connected to the Names & Numbers Internet Governance community to do likewise.

    In regard to inclusiveness, Ray has not only talked but has walked that walk. Under his watch as head of ARIN, he worked assiduously to include people from the edge in ARIN policy development. So for example, ARIN policy meetings were held in the Caribbean for the first time. Briefing paks were prepared and circulated with very good response. In fact, I would recommend ARIN’s outreach initiatives to ICANN as sound examplars of what can be done.

    On the ICANN Board, Ray is ever an open ear to the developing country concerns. And he is always willing to give candid and helpful advice in that quiet voice.

    Ray has been good for the multi-stakeholder model and for ICANN in the world at large. I strongly support his reappointment to the ICANN Board for another term.

    Carlton Samuels
    Vice- Chair, ALAC
    Kingston, JAMAICA

  23. Martin Hannigan says:

    I’d like to express my support for the reappointment of Ray Plzak to the ICANN Board of Directors. I’ve known Ray Plzak for many years as both CEO of ARIN, the North American Internet Numbers registry, and as the current ASO appointed ICANN Board Member. If anyone can effectively represent the RIR community and serve the entire community overall it’s Ray. Ray has been an active and effective manager of the unique identifiers required to operate the Internet. He has spent the last three years serving the ICANN community. I can’t think of anyone who has the length of service and the depth of service that Ray has. He’s an asset not just for the ASO, but the entire ICANN community.

    Ray Plzak should remain on the ICANN Board for another term and I support his re-appointment.

  24. Stacy Hughes says:

    I will echo my colleagues’ accolades for Ray. His service to The Internet, and the community have been crucial in the past, and more importantly, recent development in both the stewardship and advancement of resources and technology. His breadth of knowledge and experience is of benefit to us all.
    I heartily endorse his re-election.
    Stacy Hughes

  25. Nii Quaynor says:

    Ray has been very supportive of the work of the African technical community in general and provided key support for emerging RIRs that enabled AfriNIC establishment

    He attends AfNOG/AfriNIC events, participates effectively and counseled several of the leadership of the African technical community over the past years

    Ray is good for the ICANN board bringing a wide network and relevant experience in number resource management to the Board

  26. Tim McGinnis says:

    Since I have known him, Ray, as President and CEO of ARIN, has helped build and support 2 emergent RIRs (LACNIC and AfriNIC). Has helped build the NRO (Principle Author NRO MoU, between the 5 RIRs) and helped structure the new ASO (Principal Author) ASO MoU between ICANN
    and the NRO. He has also served as Chair, Secretary and Treasurer of the NRO.

    In addition, he was involved with the WSIS summit (and more recently the IGF) doing outreach and capacity building in the emerging field of Internet Governance.

    Ray is also co-author of 3 RFCs: RFC2870 (BCP0040); RFC2664 (FYI0004) and RFC1956 in addition to working at Network Solutions and SAIC.

    Perhaps most importantly, Ray acts as an informal mentor, leading by example, not by any formal mentoring relationship. His leadership has helped to build the current RIR structure and ICANNs ASO so that policies regarding IP resources continue to be done in a bottom up, transparent and open manner.

    In summary, Ray seem to have touched every part of the Internet infrastructure, from TLD administration to root server operations to IP addressing and now ICANN. It’s astonishing how much one person can serve the Internet, quietly, and in the background.

    I urge you to keep Ray on the Board, as he is an extremely capable Board Member with extensive knowledge of the numbering community.

  27. Kenny Huang says:

    Ray Plzak not only has profound experience in Internet registry operation but also actively participate in the community. As being an ASO elected ICANN director, Ray appropriately manage the expectation of the community to the ICANN board and effectively help the ICANN board to perceive the issues from the address community. I’d like to express my support to Ray Plzak for the election and thanks to all AC members for your time and considerations.

    Kenny Huang
    Executive Council, APNIC

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