Gene Kimmelman

Gene Kimmelman is vice president of federal and international affairs for Consumers Union (CU). Gene was promoted to this new position in January 2006 to undertake an expanded role in managing CU's international consumer work. He is responsible for management and oversight of all of CU's federal and international public policy and advocacy activities. He has extensive knowledge in a wide variety of public policy issues, with expertise in telecommunications, cable television, media, product liability, and antitrust law. Gene is a nationally recognized expert on deregulation and consumer protection issues, particularly in the area of telecommunications. He was the lead consumer advocate during the federal government's consideration of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and during major media and telecommunications mergers, was one of the lawyers who argued before federal courts to break up the U.S. telephone monopoly in the 1980's, and has testified more than 200 times before Congress as it reviews federal policy involving these industries.