by Jon Nevett, President and CEO of PIR
Paul Diaz, one of PIR’s longest serving employees and a key stalwart of the domain name industry, is stepping down from his role as PIR Vice President of Industry Affairs this July and will be retiring from the industry.
Paul joined PIR in 2011 and has had a tremendous impact on PIR and its evolution. He has provided PIR with his excellent representation and strategic guidance for over 13 years.
Paul has been an integral part of PIR over the years and a friend to all of us. From his drive-by chats to his thoughtful explanations of the industry, every PIR employee has learned something from him. His expertise and kindness have touched each of our lives professionally and personally. Over the years, Paul has walked alongside us through the milestones of our lives and celebrated with us along the way.
Paul also regularly coordinates with myriad entities and people across the domain name industry. We thank Paul for all of his contributions and accomplishments on behalf of the ICANN community – too many to mention them all, but a few notables are: elected three times as the Chair and Vice Chair of the ICANN Registry Stakeholder Group; served as Chair of the ICANN Transfer Policy Working Group; served on the Meeting Strategies Working Group; and most recently serving as Chair-elect of the current ICANN Nominating Committee.
Paul, as you continue to increase the count of countries you visit, we will wait to see more gorgeous pictures through the lens of your experiences with Ana and your wonderful family. We wish you the best in this next phase of your life and will miss you greatly at PIR. As a recognizable fixture at ICANN, always willing to have a chat or even better, a whisky to discuss the issues of the day, we know your wisdom and warm presence will be missed by your industry colleagues as well.
You always will be a part of the PIR family and we will toast with you and to your retirement in Kigali at ICANN80!