| Gerardo ZEPEDA-BERMÚDEZ |
Candidate to the Post of Member of the RRB (Radio Regulations Board)
Gerardo ZEPEDA-BERMÚDEZ, Honduras |
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GENERAL INFORMATION
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| Name |
Gerardo ZEPEDA-BERMÚDEZ |
| Nationality |
Citizen of Honduras |
| Date of birth |
April 6, 1950 |
| Place of birth |
Tegucigalpa, Honduras |
| Civil status |
Married, two daughters and one son |
| Contact details |
136 Heber Ave., P.O. Box 981855
Park City, Utah 84098-1855, USA
(801) 466-1688 or (801) 466-5998 (fax) |
| Areas of interest: |
Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), social inclusion, human resources development, leadership, self-sustainable development |
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STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES
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Coming from a developing country has helped to obtain a true grasp and insight of how the 21st Century digital technology revolution can be a new hope to achieve development, especially utilizing Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) as important tools towards self-sustainable development. If it is not adequately looked upon to provide solutions to remote rural areas in least developed countries, as well as to vulnerable groups, including indigenous, gender and youth issues, the digital divide can become a serious threat to global peace. However, poverty alleviation also sees new opportunities with creative solutions derived by applications of state-of-the-art ICTs, accompanied by innovative education, human resources training and contents development. A very broad experience and business development perspective has been acquired, after many years of professional work in the private sector and with international non-governmental organizations, especially in areas related to e-government and education-oriented projects, towards the creation of business and economic opportunities through ICTs. This has been further enhanced by substantial experience in several international institutions, including The World Bank and the United Nations, as well as in regional integration organizations in Central America, having also served at high-level governmental cabinet positions. This integrated vision offers the necessary tools to adequately face challenges that the new globalized world demands, under a revised economic order. It is especially important to assure an adequate social inclusion while also improving competitiveness. Valuable skills and assets acquired also include management and capability to work with people. I'm willing to participate in this new vision of business, education and technology for self-sustainable development. Following the November 2005 recently realized World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the commitments and Action Plan thereby derived, special actions through private-public strategic alliances are particularly congruent with the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) development mission "to achieve its objectives based on the right to communicate of all the inhabitants of the world through access to infrastructure and information and communication services".
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ACADEMIC BACKGROUND |
| 1986 |
Harvard University -
Institute for International Development (HIID)
Program on Investment Appraisal and Management (PIAM)
Graduate Diploma
(ranked 1st in class) |
| 1980 |
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT)
Civil Engineering (C.E.)/Transportation Economics
Master of Science in C. E. (M.S.C.E.) |
| 1978 |
Stanford University -
Graduate School of Business (GSB)
Business Administration-Management Information Systems (M.I.S.)
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A) |
| 1972 |
Universidade Federal do Rio
de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil
Civil Engineering - Transportation
Civil Engineer (C.E.)
(ranked 1st in class) |
RECENT EXPERIENCE
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August 2004 - Present: Vice-President Global Operations
OnSat Network Communications Inc. (OnSat), Park City, Utah, USA
Marketing, negotiations and opening of international opportunities, following the successful experience in Navajo Nation, where OnSat provided connectivity using satellite and wireless technologies, to all local government headquarters, allowing also for important ICT applications in areas, such as education, health, e-government, economic opportunities (e-commerce) and public safety. Advisor to Navajo Nation Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NNTRC), for issues dealing with Sector membership of the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
November 2003 - June 2004: Consultant/Advisor to the President of EMBRATEL
Empresa Brasileira de Telecomunicações (EMBRATEL), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Formulation of business strategies and action plans, for new opportunities in Brazilian telecommunications market and expansion to other countries, including search for local and international funding, in order to generate and implement projects related to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) and e Government initiatives, to support social digital inclusion.
January 2002 - November 2003: Advisor to the Vice-President of Honduras
Government of the Republic of Honduras
International consultant to support Vice-President's office, coordinate projects involving rural transformation, technology innovation, digital divide, e government and information and communications technology (ICTs), including project formulation and search/negotiations for funding
February 2001 - January 2002: International Consultant for Central American Projects
OnSat Network Communications Inc. (OnSat), Park City, Utah, USA
Applying ICT experience in Honduras for "Solar.net Villages", funded by UNESCO and OAS. Also involved University of Oklahoma and project proposal for Panama, with IICA/Agrifuture, besides working with Logo Computers Systems Inc. - LCSI (Montreal, Canada), IBM/GBM of Honduras.
January 1998 - February 2001: Minister of Science and Technology
Government of Honduras
National Scientific & technological development strategy, policy-making. Led execution of ICT pilot projects for first "Solar Village in Latin America", with support of UNESCO, initiated experimental process of rural transformation and poverty alleviation, through "Solar.Net Villages", with OnSat and OAS. Also Participated in efforts for introduction of Internet in Honduras, through Hondunet
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OTHER EXPERIENCE
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Honorary Vice-President, since Sept. 2000 to present, of "Osservatorio per la Comunicazione Culturale e Audiovisiva (OCCAM-Milan, Italy)", a UNESCO/UNIC sponsored Non-Governmental Organization, with United Nations ECOSOC consultative status. Has been co-organizer of the "Infopoverty World Conference", since 2001, dealing with ICT best practices worldwide.
Founding Member of International Academy for Technology and Knowledge (AiTyC), Mexico City, Mexico, 30 June - 1 July 2005.
Secretary General, Central American Economic Integration Secretariat (SIECA), 1994-1995; Under-Secretary General, 1991-1994. Led the Central American movement towards the Central American Free Trade Agreements (CAFTA), its relations to NAFTA and other economic trade blocks worldwide.
Operations Manager, Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), 1990-1991.
Consultant for the United Nations (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean - ECLAC - Latin American Institute for Economic and Social Planning - ILPES), 1984-89, and for Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), 1987-1989.
Honduran Minister a.i./Vice-Minister of Economic Planning, 1982-1984.
The World Bank, 1980-1982. Joined by international contest through the "Young Professionals Program (YPP)". Worked for Southeast Asia/Pacific-Transportation Projects Division; Economic Projections Dept. - International Trade and Capital Flows; and Central Projects-Transportation, Water and Telecommunications Dept. (TWT).
Central American Transportation Study (ECAT/CATS), San Salvador, El Salvador, 1974-1976. Engineer and Systems Analyst, counterpart with SYSTAN International (Los Altos, California, USA), for financial investment program in Transportation Investments, executed by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and Central American Economic Integration Secretariat (SIECA).
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OTHER SKILLS
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In Honduran private sector, since 2001 to present, Governor of "Fundación Covelo", which promotes and finances micro-enterprise.
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Between 1995-1996, Special Projects Director of "Latin American Financial Services Corp. (LAFISE)", headquartered in Miami, USA. Established in Guatemala, supported special operations and transactions for Central America/Caribbean, related to corporate finance, privatizations, investments and operations with Governments, regional integration organizations and international institutions.
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In 1995 was Independent International Consultant for Central American Business Administration Institute (INCAE), a Harvard sponsored business school in Alajuela, Costa Rica,.
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In 1989 was Projects Consultant for USAID/ROCAP, in Guatemala.
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Between 1984-1989 was Expert-Projects Director for United Nations (ECLAC-CEPAL/ILPES, DTCD). Was UN Director/Expert for design of National Investment Program in Guatemala.
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From 1984-1987, Advisor to Board of Directors, National Industrials Association (ANDI), Honduras.
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From 1984-1987, Member Board of Directors and Executive, "Textiles Río Lindo, S.A.", in Tegucigalpa, participating in external debt negotiations with International Finance Corporation (IFC) of World Bank, Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) of British Government and Bank of America.
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In 1983 was Governor to International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Rome, Italy.
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From 1978-1980 was Vice-Consul of Honduras in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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1973-1974, Engineering Consultant, CINSA/Consorcio Centroamericano de Consultores (COCECO), Honduras.
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Has given Conferences at Harvard University; University of Miami/North-South Center; University of Toronto; several universities in Central America; governmental/private International Associations.
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Has written several articles in international magazines and newspapers. Author of a Chapter in a book, in progress to be published by MIT Press, dealing with the Honduras ICT Solar.net Villages.
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Fluency in Spanish, English and Portuguese; good in Italian; general knowledge of French and German. Some knowledge of Indonesian and others. Broad knowledge of computing and internet.
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