Stephen Seitz, vice president of regulatory affairs for Vonage, has been named Industry Professional of the Year by the E9-1-1 Institute in Washington, D.C., for demonstrating exceptional contributions towards the advancement of emergency 911 communications, specifically overseeing Vonage's massive E911 rollout. Seitz was recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. last evening at historic Union Station on Capital Hill.

Because of his efforts, Vonage has equipped more than 94 percent of its subscriber lines with E911 in approximately a year, according to Vonage. The Enhanced 911 service automatically associates a physical address with the calling party's telephone number. The most recent upgrades bring the total number of lines fitted for E911 to more than 2 million.

A nationally recognized 911 coalition builder, leader and expert, Seitz has a strong background in public safety, government, politics and policy as they relate to information technology and telecommunications. Prior to joining Vonage, Seitz served as the senior strategist and first director of government affairs for the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). In his current assignment, Seitz is responsible for helping the leading broadband Internet phone company in the facilitation and implementation of E911.

"Steve's dedication to public safety is the driving force behind many successful implementations of 911 access over VoIP services," said Gregory L. Rohde, executive director of the Institute. "His tireless work makes not only Vonage proud, but he has gained tremendous appreciation and praise throughout the public safety community." KW