In a continuation of Washington Bureau Chief John Eggerton's March 23 interview with Adonis Hoffman, former chief of staff to FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn, the Washington veteran talks about his post-agency plans and what it was like to work with his soon-to-be former boss.
MCN: What are your goals for the think tank?
Adonis Hoffman: With consolidation, convergence and competition in the communications space, companies have tremendous opportunities to strike business partnerships with new entrants and entrepreneurs from every quarter. I hope to help build new levels of economic collaboration across all media platforms. Companies have to balance the need to add value to their own enterprise with the value of enriching the broader society. I would like to think it is a noble cause. And that is where I can help.
My favorite sketch is Picasso's Don Quixote -- that should tell you everything else you need to know about me.
MCN: Anything you want to say about commissioner Clyburn?
AH: Commissioner Clyburn is a class act. She is one of the few people I know in Washington who does not have an axe to grind and is not out to hurt anybody. She is deliberative, meticulous and private when it comes to the decision-making process. She runs a tight ship, too. People assume she is more liberal than she really is because she champions the underdog and the under-represented. I think that is more her sense of fairness and equity than an ideological view. True to her Southern roots, Commissioner Clyburn is always gracious and respectful of protocol. And she has a disarming sense of humor, which allows her to connect easily with people from every walk of life.
I will surely miss her classic one-liners and the laughter in our daily staff meetings.
