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HomeAbout the SIP ForumAnnual Meetings and Reports2017 Annual General Meeting Notice

2017 Annual General Meeting Notice

Meeting Date: Monday, 18 December 2017

1 – Announcement: Annual General Meeting

Section 12 of the By Laws of the SIP Forum (the “Forum”) provides that the Forum hold an Annual General Meeting that is open to all members. In accordance with the By Laws, this document shall serve as official notice for the Annual Meeting of the SIP Forum to be held as follows:

1.1 – Date / Time of meeting

The general meeting will be held:

Monday, 18 December 2017
1:00 – 2:30 pm U.S. Eastern Standard Time
Via WebEx
Login URL, Dial-In Number and Passcode: To be sent in follow-on message via the mailing list

2 – Subject Matter for the Meeting

In the meeting, a review of the financial operations, including a review of the audit for fiscal year 2017, will be provided, as well as a review of the operational activities that have occurred since the last General meeting.

In addition, Full Members will be asked to vote on two items.

2.1 – Voting Items

Two official voting items are on the agenda:

Please note:

As the 2017 Annual General Meeting will be held remotely, via WebEx, all Full Member Representatives must submit their ballot via email, or fax or surface mail, using the Voting Form Proxy document prior to the AGM.

Votes must be received from > 50% of Full Members in order to have a valid election, and in order to have a valid vote regarding the Discharge item.

The deadline described below for returning ballots via surface mail is Monday, 11 December 2017 and via fax or email Friday, 15 December 2017.

3 – Board Member Elections

Members of the Board of Directors serve for two-year terms, with terms expiring at the general meeting that takes place at the end of this term. Elections for new board members will take place at this general meeting.

There are five (5) Board seats opening this year. They include four seats held by current directors Gary Richenaker, Greg Rogers, Gernot Scheichl, and Richard Shockey, as well as one additional seat that is being vacated by Gonzalo Salgueiro.

The seats held by Victor Pascual-Avila, Mary Barnes, Martin Dolly, Andrew Hutton, Robert Kinder, and Chris Wendt are not expiring.

3.1 – Voting Limits

Our current Bylaws indicate that only four Directors may be Participant Members at any one time. Since the seat occupied by one participant member (Richard Shockey) is up for election, and the seats held by Victor Pascual-Avila and Martin Dolly are Participant board member seats, up to two Participant (Individual) Members can be elected in this election (which includes Richard Shockey if re-elected).

You will be voting by expressing a preference order for candidates. This preference order will be used to tally the Directors who are elected.

3.2 – Who Can Vote

Each Full (paying) Member is entitled to a single vote on the matters being presented for a vote. Each Full Member has the right to vote either electronically via email, or by an agent authorized by a proxy validly executed by the Full Member. A proxy shall be executed by written authorizations signed by the Full Member, giving the proxy holder the right to cast the vote.

Full Members will utilize a proxy form provided with this general meeting announcement package. The proxy form (ballot) provides a method to vote for the Director candidates, and grants to the Managing Director of the SIP Forum the right to cast the vote on behalf of the Full Member giving the proxy.

The Board strongly urges you to submit your ballot via email, submitted directly to Marc Robins, the SIP Forum Managing Director.

3.3 – Candidates for Election

  • Russ Penar – Microsoft
  • Gary Richenaker – iconectiv (current board member standing for re-election)
  • Greg Rogers – Bandwidth.com (current board member standing for re-election)
  • Gernot Scheichl – Edgewater Networks (current board member standing for re-election)
  • Richard Shockey – Shockey Consulting (current board member standing for re-election)

3.4 – Candidate Statements and Biographies

The statements by the candidates about their desire to serve on the board, along with their biographies, are shown here as provided by each candidate. The Board strongly recommends you read these, as we seek Directors who will add substantial value, so it is crucial your vote is well-informed.

Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Please do not allow this order to influence your voting.

The Board has not endorsed any slate of candidates.

3.4.1 – Russ Penar – Microsoft

3.4.1.1 – Statement of Candidacy

I found the telephony world 12 years ago after joining a consulting firm, Engineers Consulting Group (ECG). I cut my teeth by installing Media Gateways, SBCs, and soft-switches for mom & pop (and some T1/T2) telcos throughout North America. The racking/stacking/wiring provided a foundation to build on, then came the configuration, troubleshooting, and design work.  ECG provided me with the opportunity to contribute to training material and deliver hands-on VoIP engineering training.  Apart from ECG, I have worked for CenturyLink and Microsoft, providing broad experience in SIP implementations. I worked closely with multiple SIP equipment/software vendors and have in-depth & hands-on design and deployment experience involving large scale residential and commercial services.

Recently, I’ve been focused on NNI and SIP Trunk specifications for Microsoft products and was accepted to present twice at SIPNOC.  My SIPNOC presentations focused on improving interoperability & monitoring of SIP based services through education/info-sharing.  Industry education isn’t enough, standards and/or recommended profiles are required, and I hope to have a positive influence on those through work in SIP Forum.

I appreciate & welcome the opportunity to bring my real-time communications experience as well as my passion for finding solutions to the SIP Forum.  I sincerely hope my experience and perspective can be a positive influence on the good work of SIP Forum.

3.4.1.2 – Biography

Russ Penar is currently a Principal Service Engineer for Microsoft, working on Skype for Business. He holds a BS in Computer Information Services, from Valdosta State University, and is the co-inventor (issued & pending) of 12+ patents within the context of real-time communications.

3.4.2 – Gary Richenaker – iconectiv

3.4.2.1 – Statement of Candidacy

SIP-based communications and applications have fundamentally changed the way we interact for both consumers and businesses with rapid advances in user-experience, unified communications and multi-media services. SIP has been adopted as the communications protocol for signaling and controlling multimedia communication sessions for real-time IP communications.

However, new technologies and architectures introduce implementation and integration challenges such as IETF’s Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and Secure Handling of Asserted information using toKENS (SHAKEN) being developed by the SIP Forum/ATIS IP NNI Task Group.  The SIP Forum is well positioned to work through these issues and with other appropriate Standard Development Organizations in an inclusive environment towards a consistent standard, in order to facilitate compliance and interoperability testing, and then work with the stakeholders to make the appropriate updates to the reference documents.

I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the board and our industry. I greatly appreciate the opportunity and your consideration in renewing my seat on the SIP Forum’s Board of Directors.

3.4.2.2 – Biography

Gary Richenaker has been in Telecommunications for over 40 years and his most recent assignment is Principal Solutions Architect at iconectiv.  His role is to monitor and understand new technologies, to assess its impact on the existing products and services as well as identify how that technology can be used in the formulation of new products and services.

Prior to the iconectiv assignment, Gary served as Sr. Director – Strategic Technical Initiaties at Neustar and prior to that as Chief Archtiect in Telcordia’s Interconnection Solutions. His career with iconectiv, NeuStar, Telcordia, Bellcore, and Bell Laboratories has included responsibilities in technical analysis, strategic planning, marketing, planning and forecasting.

Gary has been involved in domestic and international standards since 1991 and presently is Co-Chair of the ATIS Test bed Landscape Team (TLT).  He also served as editor for the ATIS/SIP Forum IP NNI Routing Document.  Gary has also been Rapporteur of the ITU-T Numbering Question (SG2/1), Chairman of the US ENUM Forum, Chairman of the US Study Group A Ad-Hoc on Numbering, Routing and Services.  He is also Past-Chairman of the US IMSI Oversight Council (IOC), and the US Study Group A Ad-Hoc on ENUM.

Gary holds an MBA and a BS in Economics.

3.4.3 – Greg Rogers – Bandwidth, Inc.

3.4.3.1 – Statement of Candidacy

As Deputy General Counsel for Bandwidth, Inc. I believe I’d bring a somewhat unique set of skills and perspectives to SIP Forum. As a regulatory lawyer, I represent Bandwidth in a wide range of telecommunications matters within the industry and before regulatory bodies. Bandwidth is one of the nation’s largest carriers based upon the number of telephone numbers in service and its CLEC PSTN interconnection footprint. It is an all-IP based provider and thus, it is focused on how the industry and the regulatory environment continue to evolve toward IP-based solutions.

I serve on the North American Numbering Council as Bandwidth’s representative and also did so on behalf of Level 3 Communications previously. I also represent Bandwidth in the NAPM LLC, which oversees the contract of the NPAC on behalf of the industry and the FCC. Among other services that Bandwidth offers are competitive SMS/MMS and Toll-Free based services. In those areas, I represent Bandwidth with other carriers and service providers and within industry forums like CTIA with respect to establishing network routing and service provider guidelines. Finally, Bandwidth is also a 911 service provider, which is a critical component of how voice and text communications, that may or may not be associated with NANP numbers, operate. Therefore, with this background and set of responsibilities I hope to participate as a Board member with SIP Forum with its efforts toward establishing effective industry practices and standards in an exciting transitional period of the communications industry.

3.4.3.2 – Biography

Greg is Deputy General Counsel for Bandwidth, Inc. in Bandwidth’s office in Denver, CO. As Deputy General Counsel, Greg is primarily responsible for Bandwidth’s wide array of regulatory and public policy matters at all levels of government. Bandwidth is a multi-faceted communications service provider that operates a nation-wide all IP-based network from its headquarters in Raleigh, NC.

Bandwidth, Inc. is a CLEC with a local PSTN interconnection and NANP footprint that spans the 48 continental states. Bandwidth’s CLEC network is a critical component of its full suite of VoIP and SMS/MMS service offerings. Bandwidth also operates a nation-wide 911 VPC network aimed at supporting emergency calling for IP-enabled services. As a wholesale provider, Bandwidth is also one of the largest Toll Free Resporgs in the country. Finally, among its retail service offerings, Bandwidth operates Republic Wireless, a leading innovator in the mobile VoIP and wireless services space.

Greg has been Deputy General Counsel at Bandwidth since 2010. Prior to joining Bandwidth, he was in-house regulatory counsel for Level 3 Communications for over a decade. Greg is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Law in Boulder, CO.

3.4.4 – Gernot Scheichl – Edgewater Networks

3.4.4.1 – Statement of Candidacy

For the last 24 years, I have been heavily involved in the real-time application networking space providing secure solutions for global service providers and enterprises for data, voice, and video over different network technologies using various protocols. In the mid-1990s I started designing and deploying several global video conferencing and video on demand solutions for fortune 100 companies (e.g. IBM, Goldman Sachs). Since 2003 I have worked primarily in the VoIP space (hosted and SIP trunking) dealing with SIP  network design issues, interoperability issues between different vendors equipment and integrating legacy voice offerings to SIP via media gateways.

At Edgewater Networks, we have built out a broad multi vendor lab to test variations of voice protocols adopted since 2004. I have had the opportunity to work with many VoIP protocols (proprietary, SCCP (Skinny), MGCP, H.323, and SIP) and by doing so I have acquired extensive knowledge on what customers are asking for as well as how a solution can be designed and deployed. One of my longer standing projects was to build a SIP-trunking interoperability lab, which currently has over 40 IP PBX’s, enterprise session border controllers, and SIP trunks from many major U.S. SIP trunking service providers.

In the last 24 months I have been involved in enhancing SIP call reporting and SIP KPI analytics required by the VoIP SPs for various application including VoIP fraud, VoIP Security and overall VoIP service monitoring and troubleshooting.

This effort exposes many SIP related deployment issues, which need to be better addressed by the industry as a whole. I think the SIP community needs to focus on SIP security, VoIP fraud issues and how to better prevent it. I think the SIP Forum is an ideal arena to continue to address these issue. I believe that I can provide valuable contribution to the SIP Forum and the different work groups as a Board of Director through my years of hands-on experience in the industry and as a long-time advocate for SIP as the protocol of choice.

3.4.4.2 – Biography

Gernot Scheichl has over 24 years’ experience in the networking industry in a variety of technical solution architect, business development, technical presales and customer support roles. Mr. Scheichl is currently the Chief Field Architect at Edgewater where he is responsible for major customer solution designs and new engineering feature and product designs. Mr. Scheichl joined Edgewater from First Virtual Communications where he held a number of senior positions in worldwide support and international business development. Mr. Scheichl holds a degree in Electronic Engineering and a degree in Information Technology from the Technical University Vienna, Austria.

3.4.5 – Richard Shockey – Shockey Consulting

3.4.5.1 – Statement of Candidacy

The SIP Forum is still doing very well after all these years and I’m still energized to continue the momentum.  For now, the momentum has shifted from the adoption of SIP to dealing with its consequences.  Recently the SIP Forum has been able to quietly and consistently be a neutral technical voice assisting National Regulatory Authorities in navigating the complex issues of Robocalls and Caller ID spoofing.  Our joint agreement with ATIS on STIR/SHAKEN has proven to be of enormous value to the SIP Forum in providing a venue for a broad range of stake holders to participate in complex technical discussions. This agreement has been an attractive alternative to many companies to either join the SIP Forum or renew their membership based on our collective leadership in this area.  The Forum also has strategic partnerships with sister organizations NICC in the UK and BITKOM in Germany.

The next phase will concentrate on what we refer to as the Call Validation Display Framework. In other words, what data do we see on the User Agent when STIR/SHAKEN is preformed.

Building on success we want to move forward on a framework for the next generation of SIPconnect.  Call Validation Display for the Enterprise may be different from what the requirements are in consumer markets.

I am especially proud of SIPNOC — our conference (entering its seventh year) bringing together hundreds of engineers from service providers around the world dedicated to promoting the interoperability of SIP and share real experiences in the network.

Of course, we are still committed to continue the work of SIPit , SIPconnect Certification and the other interoperability testing events we produce.

I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve the SIP Forum and the overall SIP community.

3.4.5.2 – Biography

Richard Shockey is an internationally recognized expert on Data Communications, Voice over IP Technology, Numbering and Signaling, and is currently the Principal of Shockey Consulting, a private firm advising telecommunications companies, national regulatory authorities and the investment community on any number of issues related to Next Generation Real Time Communications products and services. Visit www.shockey.us for more information.

Mr. Shockey also currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SIP Forum.

Mr. Shockey has been a member of the United States Federal Communications Commission’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC), an FCC advisory council tasked with advising the federal agency regarding best practices and practical actions pertaining to the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications systems.

Mr Shockey has been recently reappointed a member of the Federal Communications Commission North American Numbering Council [NANC].  The NANC is the US governments principal technical advisory committee on issues surrounding the use of telephone numbers and telephone number related issues in the United States.

Mr. Shockey was a founder and Co-Chair of the Internet Engineering Task Force ENUM Work Group and is an author of several IETF RFC’s Active in IETF affairs since 1998 he also participated in numerous other WG including FAX, SIP, SIPPING, SPEERMINT, SIMPLE, and its management nominating committee NOMCOM.

Mr. Shockey was formerly Director & Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at NeuStar, Inc. based in Suburban Washington, D.C.

4 – Discharge of Liability for Board Members and Managing Director

The By Laws of the SIP Forum require that, at each general meeting, the members vote on whether to discharge the Board Members and the Managing Director from liability for actions or inactions resulting from their service to the SIP Forum over the prior year. In all annual general meetings to date, this has been presented, and the Board Members have been accordingly discharged. At this time, the Board represents that the Directors and Managing Director have collectively performed all required responsibilities for this past year, and requests discharge from liability. Full Members shall vote Yes or No on their ballots to so discharge the Board and Managing Director.

The Board recommends a Yes vote on this item.

5 – Procedure for Voting

The By Laws permit voting by proxy, using paper ballots or electronically submitted ballots that are returned using a method that the Board deems sufficient to establish the authenticity of the ballot.

5.1 – Written Proxy

Included in the bundle distributed via email to the Full Members with this Annual General Meeting Notice is a voting form (in PDF file format) entitled “2017-sf-ballot.” If a Full Member intends to submit a ballot to vote by written proxy (instead of submitting one via return email), each Full Member should do the following as described immediately below in Section 5.1.1.

5.1.1 – Minimal Procedure for Proxy Voting

The Full Member shall mark the aforementioned voting form (either by modifying the document to indicate the mark, or by printing the document and marking it in ink) to:

  • Rank your votes for Director’s candidates. Mark your first preference “1”, your second preference “2”, and so on. You may vote for as many candidates as you wish, but we recommend you vote for at least 5.
  • Approve or reject the discharge of Directors’ liability.
  • Deliver the Voting Form to the SIP Forum Managing Director prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting by sending the Voting Form via surface mail to the address listed on the ballot, or send a facsimile to the fax number listed on the first page of the document. Please note that if surface mail is used, the Voting Form must be sent to arrive NO LATER THAN MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2017 or if Fax or email delivery is used, the Voting Form must be sent to arrive NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017.

5.2 Electronic Voting Via Email

The Board has concluded that one method is acceptable for electronic voting via email:

  • Full Members are to complete and sign the Voting Form ballot, and return it to the Managing Director via electronic mail as a scanned image file or PDF. The Managing Director shall use reasonable efforts to assure that the received email has been sent from a domain name that appears to be from a Full Member organization.

5.2.1 Email Ballots

Follow this procedure to vote by email:

  • Print a copy of the ballot.
  • Mark the Voting Form ballot by ranking your votes for Board Member candidates, and check the box to vote Yes or No on the Liability Discharge question.
  • Sign the paper copy of the marked ballot document
  • Scan the signed and marked ballot document, and email the scanned, signed document to Marc Robins, the SIP Forum Managing Director at marc.robins@sipforum.org. (PDF, JPG, TIFF, or GIF are all acceptable electronic formats)

5.3 – Deadline for Ballot Return for Proxy Voting

Voting Form ballots sent to the Managing Director by Fax or Email to be handled by proxy must be received

ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY, 11 DECEMBER 2017 (one business day before the Annual General Meeting) in order to be counted.

5.4 – Ballot Counting

Ballots, including those received in email, via fax, and those cast on the web interface, will be counted when the vote is called in the Annual General Meeting. Results will be announced at the meeting (assuming the tally method results in clear winners), and official minutes taken to reflect the voting.

– END –

SIP Forum 2017 General Meeting Notice
November 17, 2017

Document number: GA-31-0

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