Monday, April 18, 7pm-10pm, Prince William Ballroom

The 2005 Sarnoff Symposium is featuring an elegant reception and dinner in the Prince William Ballroom of the Nassau Inn on Monday, April 18. Join your colleagues to discuss the latest technologies and business developments in the telecommunications industry. Your full conference registration includes the reception and dinner. Additional tickets are available at $55 per person at the Registration Desk.

Dinner Speaker: New Jersey State Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula

Regulatory Environment - Does it Help or Hinder Economic Growth? What is the Future of the Wireless Industry?

More and more companies, as well as individuals, rely on wireless phones to improve efficiencies and manage their businesses. The wireless industry, in particular, offers opportunities for economic growth and productivity. The wireless industry, under the jurisdiction of FCC and U.S. Congress is neither a monopoly nor a utility. It is a dynamic, competitive, evolving ecosystem. Should states be preempted from regulation by states?

Upendra Chivukula

Upendra Chivukula is the first Asian-Indian American elected to the NJ State Assembly and the fourth Indian American in the US to be elected to state office. He is currently serving his second term in the NJ State Assembly representing the 17th district, which encompasses Highland Park, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Piscataway, Milltown, and Franklin Township.

Upendra is the Vice Chair of the Commerce and Economic Development Committee, and a member of the Telecommunications & Utilities, and Transportation committees in the Assembly. He is a member of the Science and Technology, and Commerce and Business Expansion Commissions for the State of New Jersey. In addition, he serves as Assembly Representative for the Council of State Governments (CSG) /Eastern Regional State Conference on Energy and Environment, the World Languages Instruction Committee, and the Board of State Canvassers. He recently co-founded the NJ Legislative Science & Technology Caucus and is Vice-Chair of the Communications, Technology and Interstate Commerce Committee for the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

Upendra’s extensive public service and political accomplishments have also included participation in the Delegation to the Democratic National Convention in 1996, 2000, and in 2004. Also, the Governor of New Jersey appointed him to be a Public Member of the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners. And from 1994 to 1997 he served on the board of the New Jersey State Cross-Acceptance Committee. More recently, Upendra has been named as Elector for the Electoral College in 2004 and the NJ Coordinator for Asian American Outreach for the Kerry-Edwards Campaign.

He is a Leadership New Jersey Fellow (1998), Flemming Institute Fellow (2003), and the Past President of Franklin Township Lions Club and Zone 2 Chairman in District 16-D. He is a National Committee Member of the Association of Indians in America, Past Secretary of NJ Chapter of Indian American Forum for Political Education and Past President of Asian American Political Coalition.

Upendra has a B.E.E. from Guindy’s Engineering College, India and Masters in Electrical Engineering from City College of the City University of New York. He is Managing Director – Antarctica Group, New York and has drawn extensive technical and business experience working at AT&T Bell Laboratories.