March 7, 1997

     MICHELE C. FARQUHAR TO DEPART FCC'S WIRELESS TELECOM BUREAU

     Effective in early April 1997, Michele C. Farquhar, Chief, Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau, will leave the FCC.  Farquhar has served as the Chief since November 1995.

     In May, Farquhar is taking on a one-year term as President of Duke University Alumni
Association, which includes a two-year term on the University board of trustees.

     Chairman Reed Hundt said, "Michele, the FCC's wonderful Chief of the Wireless Bureau,
was the leading proponent of the FCC's New Spectrum Policy.  Under Michele's leadership, the
Bureau has done six spectrum auctions, more than 30 major rulemakings, and processed more than
a half-million license and transfer applications.  The Bureau has introduced electronic filing and
proposed competitive bidding rules for the future.  And for the first time in FCC history, thanks
to Michele, the Commission published a comprehensive inventory of the 300 different spectrum
bands that are available for commercial use.  I thank her for her immense contributions and I have
finally agreed that she deserves to get her life back."

     Before coming to the FCC she served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief
of Staff for NTIA.  Farquhar also served as Vice President for Law and Regulatory Policy at the
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) before joining NTIA.  As Vice
President, she oversaw the representation of the cellular industry before the Federal
Communications Commission and other agencies. 

     Prior to CTIA, Farquhar was with the FCC, where she was the senior legal advisor to FCC
Commissioner Ervin S. Duggan and served as a Special Assistant to the FCC General Counsel
Diane Killory and Robert Pettit.  In addition, she was an associate with the firm of Steptoe &
Johnson from 1985 to 1988.

     Farquhar is a graduate of the University of Virginia Law School and holds a BA in Public
Policy Studies from Duke University.  She recently served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of
the Federal Communications Bar Association Foundation from 1995-1996.   In 1991, she received
the FCBA's Distinguished Service Award and Duke University's Charles B. Dukes alumni service
award.

     She lives with her husband, William, and children: Douglas, Jamie and Charlotte, in
Cleveland Park.
                                -FCC-