Domain Name Association (DNA) Officers Elected by Board

The newly constituted Board of Directors of the Domain Name Association (DNA), the Internet domain industry’s only global trade association, has elected its officers, the organization today announced. With its leaders in place and a full 12-person board, the DNA will now work to deliver programs that advance its dual mission to educate the public about the expansion of domain names and to serve as the voice of the industry.

The newly elected Officers are:

• Chair: Adrian Kinderis, CEO, ARI Registry Services
• Vice Chair: Richard Merdinger, Vice President, Domains, GoDaddy
• Secretary/Treasurer: Statton Hammock, Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Rightside

Full biographies can be seen on the DNA website.

The officers are part of a group of several leaders in the field who were instrumental in the creation of the DNA, the first and only trade association representing the interests of the domain name industry. The organization is committed to promoting innovative ways to navigate the Internet as hundreds of new domain names, including multilingual options, come online to complement the familiar domain names such as .com and .org and country code domain names.

“With a complete board of directors and leadership roster to call upon, the DNA is now fully empowered to tackle our industry’s challenges and deliver on our educational initiatives,” said Kinderis. “I appreciate the confidence the Board demonstrates in formally selecting me as its Chair, after serving in that role on an interim basis. I look forward to working with the officers and directors to realize our mission to serve both consumers and our sector.”

The expansion of domain names will soon revolutionize the way people search for information and navigate the Internet and will be the catalyst for tremendous innovation in the way brands – commercial and personal – are communicated. To fulfill its commitment to raise awareness about these new opportunities, the DNA will sponsor awareness campaigns that will involve advertising, informative webinars and events, as well as its education website: www.whatdomain.org.

In addition to promoting the use of domain names, the DNA also provides its members with opportunities to collaborate with peers, share best practices and ensure mutual success. DNA membership is organized as a multi-tiered structure to accommodate various levels of interest and desire for participation in the work of the DNA. More information is available on the website.

About the DNA

The Domain Name Association (the DNA) is a non-profit business association that represents the interests of the domain name industry. It is independent and global in scope, and its membership is open to organizations involved in the provision, support, and sale of domain names, such as domain name registries, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers.

Founding members include ARI Registry Services, Donuts, GoDaddy, Google, Rightside and What Box?

The DNA’s mission is to promote the best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet. More information is available at www.thedna.org.