[registrars] ICANN Board Departure

[Thomas Barrett - EnCirca]

Michael,

I just wanted to extend my thanks and appreciation for the long hours and
dedication you have shown towards serving the ICANN board and overall
community.  Your experience and deep understanding of the various
constituencies helped bring a moderate voice to the ongoing dialogue of
ICANN's issues.  I hope we can find someone to fill your shoes.

Best regards,

Tom Barrett
EnCirca, Inc


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-registrars at gnso.icann.org
[mailto:owner-registrars at gnso.icann.org] On Behalf Of Michael D. Palage
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 8:59 AM
To: council at gnso.icann.org
Cc: John Jeffrey; registrars at gnso.icann.org
Subject: [registrars] FYI

Dear GNSO Council,

Effective immediately, I hereby resign from the ICANN Board of Directors.
What I would now like to do now is briefly explain the basis for my decision
so that there is no speculation or conjecture.  

Over the past year I have thought about resigning from the ICANN Board.
This is a decision which I had shared privately with a number of people
including some of my fellow directors.  Although I came to the ICANN Board
with a number of ties to the industry based upon my consulting arrangements
with various registration authorities, over the past year it has become
increasingly difficult for me to do the best job that this organization
deserves because of my various professional relationships.
This was something that was further reinforced during the Board's Conflict
Committee Meeting which I participated in last week.

As I look ahead at a number of the challenges that this organization faces,
I feel that I can best contribute by going back to the "bottom"
in the bottom up consensus process. This decision has been made easier
because of some of the change which is currently taking place within the
ICANN Board. Although the community, particularly the GNSO, may question
some of the recent decisions of the Board, I can give you my word that
things are slowly changing in the right direction. Moreover, if I did not
believe in the long term health of this organization, I would not continue
my involvement in it. In the future please look to the IP Constituency,
Registrar, Registry and Business constituencies for my continued involvement
within the GNSO, as well as the ALAC if they accept my offer to help out.

As this body considers selecting my replacement, I urge it to consider the
very important crossroads at which ICANN stands. In my opinion there are
very few people that have the ability to step in and make the necessary
impact that the ICANN stakeholder community deserves.

Best regards,

Michael