i2Coalition and The DNA To Merge Creating North America’s Largest Internet Infrastructure Advocacy Group

Two bodies representing the interests of the domain name industry, the Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) and The Domain Name Association (DNA) have announced they are merging to form the largest internet infrastructure advocacy group in North America.

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The DNA Study Claims New gTLDs Can Compete With .COM on SEO

A study for the Domain Name Association claims there is a benefit from an SEO perspective by having a relevant keyword in a relevant domain name extension, that is the top level domain part of the domain name.

A study for the Domain Name Association claims there is a benefit from an SEO perspective by having a relevant keyword in a relevant domain name extension, that is the top level domain part of the domain name.

The Hidden Advantages of a Relevant Domain Name study completed in early 2017 claims that having a domain name extension may be another marketing strategy to consider in competitive markets to further optimise search engine results. The data clearly shows that domain name extensions can do well in SEO rankings if they include keywords within them.

The research purportedly, to a limited extent at least, contradicts Google’s claim that ‘all domain extensions stand on equal ground when it comes to SEO performance.’

According to the research for the DNA, their research gave examples such as seo.agency which ranks in the top 3 pages for over 30 different business-to-business-qualified keywords and thefun.singles that ranks in the top 3 pages for over 300 different singles and dating keywords.

The DNA claims their research shows the domains perform well as .com and other legacy gTLDs “have to work harder to rank on the first page of Google results” whereas non-legacy gTLDs require a lower Domain Authority to rank for the same keywords. The study claims it’s possible to reduce SEO costs significantly with the right domain names in the right new gTLDs.

However there are some reservations with the study. It looked at a limited number of domain names within new gTLDs and would never pass a peer review. It’s likely the new gTLD domain names selected were not random. So treat the results with caution. Nevertheless it does give food for thought.

“In the ever-shifting landscape of organic search results across industries, this study provides proof that keyword-rich domains with relevant extensions have the opportunity to take prized real estate on the top of the search page, both in the paid and organic search engine results, as evident by the report’s SEO case studies,” revealed Chris Boggs, founder of Web Traffic Advisors. “Marketers should consider semantically relevant and meaningful domain name extensions as a viable part of a user-focused digital marketing strategy going forward.”

“When it comes to organic search, relevant domain name extensions offer potential advantages from helping a site to rank well for specific keywords to reducing the need for paid search to do all the heavy lifting,” continued Boggs. “Generally, all domain extensions stand on equal ground when it comes to SEO performance, which aligns with Google’s statements over the years. We found no evidence that using a particular domain name extension directly harms organic search performance as a whole.”

For more information on and to download the study, check out:
thedna.org/resources/seostudy/

Domain Name Association Names Roy Arbeit as Executive Director

Domain Name Association Logo[news release] The Domain Name Association (The DNA), the Internet domain industry’s trade association, today (8/3) announced the appointment of Roy M. Arbeit as its Executive Director, effective March 15

Domain Name Association Logo[news release] The Domain Name Association (The DNA), the Internet domain industry’s trade association, today (8/3) announced the appointment of Roy M. Arbeit as its Executive Director, effective March 15.

In this role, Mr. Arbeit will help drive domain name industry awareness globally for the association and increase membership support by engaging stakeholders to influence the continuing evolution and advancement of the industry. A non-profit organization, The DNA was established as an industry-led effort to advocate for the expanded use, universal acceptance, and trust of domain names by promoting best practices and sharing the value they provide as a primary tool for users to navigate the Internet.

“Roy was selected from among a robust pool of qualified candidates because of his significant expertise in driving membership success in industry trade associations,” said Adrian Kinderis, vice president of Corporate Development at Neustar and chairman of The DNA. “He is a strategic thinker and experienced team builder who will help us to accelerate our mission of making the importance, value, and utility of domain names more widely understood.”

Mr. Arbeit has over 20 years of experience in business marketing strategy positions and has been an integral member of strategic leadership teams for global business services organizations. Previously, he was Managing Director of Marketing and Sales at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in New York, a 140,000-member global professional organization. At ASME, Mr. Arbeit helped drive revenue growth and expansion into new markets, and he led the association’s digital strategy for greater impact, engagement, and global reach. He has held several high-level sales and marketing roles at other companies, including the American Arbitration Association, Ernst & Young, and Citibank.

“I’m excited to begin working with such high-caliber, industry-leading companies to develop a comprehensive global strategy for furthering The DNA’s mission and member activities,” said Mr. Arbeit. “With increasing interest in the domain name economy, the timing is right to raise the association’s profile and engage and extend its membership base to encourage the healthy growth of domains globally.”

About The DNA

The Domain Name Association (The DNA) is a non-profit business association that represents the interests of the domain name industry. It is independent and global in scope, and its membership is open to organizations involved in the provision, support, and sale of domain names, such as domain name registries, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers.

Executive members include Donuts, GoDaddy, Google, InterNetX GmbH, and Neustar, Inc., with current membership representing more than 47 established companies. The DNA’s mission is to promote the best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet. More information is available at www.thedna.org.

This news release was sourced from:
www.thedna.org/the-domain-name-association-names-roy-arbeit-as-executive-director/

Domain Name Association Launches Healthy Domains Initiative as Industry-Led Effort to Evolve Internet Naming Ecosystem

Domain Name Association LogoThe Domain Name Association (The DNA), the Internet domain industry’s trade association, announced today that it conducted its inaugural Healthy Domains Initiative (HDI) summit last week, a meeting focused on healthy growth within the domain name ecosystem

Domain Name Association LogoThe Domain Name Association (The DNA), the Internet domain industry’s trade association, announced today that it conducted its inaugural Healthy Domains Initiative (HDI) summit last week, a meeting focused on healthy growth within the domain name ecosystem.

Held in Seattle, the event brought together a diverse group of 77 representatives across multiple industries including registries, registrars, law enforcement agencies, civil society, child protection experts, illegal pharmacy authorities, and content providers.  Some of the noteworthy attendees were the FBI, Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, the Motion Picture Association of America, the Recording Industry Association of America, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.  The event’s focus was to establish guidelines for industry-recommended best practices and measures for self-regulation.

“The DNA continually demonstrates creative innovation to support the importance and utility of domain names,” said Adrian Kinderis, VP Corporate Development at Neustar and Chairman of the DNA.  “This Healthy Domains Initiative is an important step forward to ensure we work collaboratively with our peers toward a more secure and stable Internet naming system.”

The agenda was developed with three founding principles in mind:

  • Establishing a network of industry partners focused on the creation and ongoing maintenance of a healthy domain ecosystem via effective communication and collaboration;
  • Developing industry-focused policy guidelines, recommended best practices and success metrics that result in tangible ways of identifying and promoting positive standards for healthy domains; and,
  • Demonstrating to the regulatory community a positive example of self-governing.

The summit’s discussion focused on domain name industry best practices principles and programs.  The group will now work to categorize and analyze the current landscape of online abuse to determine where the initial priorities should be focused.  In addition, working groups were formed to discuss a potential first set of recommended best practices programs that could be implemented.

“All summit attendees view the domain name system from unique perspectives. This diversity gives great insight when we’re working toward a common goal. The group rolled up their sleeves with a collective focus on ensuring the namespace grows in a healthy way,” said GoDaddy Director of Digital Crimes Unit Ben Butler.

“I applaud the efforts of The DNA and HDI for this proactive initiative and for their inclusive approach,” said Rightside Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs Statton Hammock.  “It was a productive summit and we are encouraged by the positive direction this effort is taking.”

About The DNA

The Domain Name Association (The DNA) is a non-profit business association that represents the interests of the domain name industry.  It is independent and global in scope, and its membership is open to organizations involved in the provision, support, and sale of domain names, such as domain name registries, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers.

Founding members include ARI Registry Services, Donuts, GoDaddy, Google, and Rightside, with current membership representing more than 47 established companies. The DNA’s mission is to promote the best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet. More information is available at www.thedna.org.

This news release from The DNA was sourced from:
http://www.thedna.org/the-dna-launches-hdi-press-release-2-16-2016/

Operator Webinar transitions to the DNA University by Tony Kirsch, ARI Registry Services

ARI Registry ServicesReaders of my posts will have noticed that we’ve been working over the last two months to launch the TLD Operator Webinar which was held recently. Its purpose was to unite all new TLD applicants and collectively share our experiences in order to build momentum in the industry and support each other in our pursuits

ARI Registry ServicesReaders of my posts will have noticed that we’ve been working over the last two months to launch the TLD Operator Webinar which was held recently. Its purpose was to unite all new TLD applicants and collectively share our experiences in order to build momentum in the industry and support each other in our pursuits.

With more than 300 registrations and 40 percent of all new TLDs attending, we were humbled and overjoyed with the success – validating our ‘educated guess’ that there was a global appetite for information to assist new TLD applicants.

Following the TLD Operator Webinar, we surveyed attendees and received responses from more than 200 participants who all expressed a desire for more opportunities to learn from other operators. When asked about their views on the state of the industry, most respondents indicated that it “needs some work” and “still has a long way to go”. By far the biggest challenge identified by respondents was the “lack of public awareness of new TLDs”.

Interestingly, the survey data showed broad interest for topics across all TLD categories, while respondents preferred a monthly or bi-monthly frequency for webinars.

Last week, the Domain Name Association (DNA) announced the launch of the DNA University to provide a platform for the industry to exchange ideas and learn best practices. So, based on the success of the TLD Operator Webinar, and our passion for the Domain Name Association, we have agreed to merge these two concepts and continue the approach under the banner of the DNA University.

On a more personal note, I am honoured that the DNA has selected me as the inaugural “Dean” of the DNA University where I can continue the work that I’m so passionate about.

In this role, it’s my ambition that the DNA University will be able to service the large (and growing) demand for education in the domain name industry as it is clear that this is one of the most crucial times in the history of the Internet.

As an industry, we have a responsibility to work together to ensure our shared success for years to come and I am passionate about making the DNA University a unique, collaborative forum that drives this.

The first DNA University Webinar, Premium Domain Name Planning, will be held on 28 July at 15:00 UTC and is open to all Registry operators, domain name Registrars and new gTLD applicants who can register here. It is free of charge.

This topic was chosen for the inaugural session because carefully-planned premium name selection and marketing efforts are crucial for success as a domain name registry. In this webinar, attendees will gain a 360 degree view of premium names – including the key experiences of seasoned TLD operators, strategies in developing premium name lists and customer and sales insights from some of the world’s most prominent Registrars.

Future webinars are planned to address a wide range of industry topics – with insights being provided by some of the most successful folks within the industry and beyond.

We need the support of the industry to make the DNA University and webinar series a success. I encourage you all to get behind us, participate and support this brilliant initiative.

This article by Tony Kirsch of ARI Registry Services was sourced with permission from:
www.ariservices.com/blog/the-tld-operator-webinar-transitions-to-the-dna-university/

Domain Name Association Survey Reveals Strong Interest in New gTLDs

The Domain Name Association (DNA) has announced the results of a recent global survey to ascertain Internet users’ attitudes toward new Internet domain-name extensions, such as “.club” and “.global,” that are being released through ICANN’s “New gTLD Program.”

[news release] The Domain Name Association (DNA) has announced the results of a recent global survey to ascertain Internet users’ attitudes toward new Internet domain-name extensions, such as “.club” and “.global,” that are being released through ICANN’s “New gTLD Program.”This Domain Name Preference study was conducted in 10 countries and obtained over 5,000 completed responses. A results summary and analysis can be downloaded from the DNA website; the full survey results are available to DNA members.The survey was designed to measure global attitudes about awareness, acceptance, preference and knowledge related to domain names. Established top-level generic names and country-code names (gTLD and ccTLD) were tested along with new generic top-level names.Specific conclusions, some transcending expectations, were derived from the collected data:

  • Domain names continue to be highly relevant. While there is a slight preference for search as a tool to navigate the Internet, almost everyone (85% of those polled) types a domain name into a browser address bar part of the time. And the great majority checks the domain names (at least sometimes) before clicking on search results.
  • Internet users around the world are very open to using domain names that include new domain-name extensions. Respondents consistently voiced an equal preference for new domain-name extensions as compared with .com or the local ccTLD (such as .ca in Canada), even though they may not have been aware of the new gTLD Program. There is a particular willingness to accept names that meaningfully indicate the expected content or use of a website (e.g., .secure, .bike).
  • Nearly 60% of respondents voiced a preference for more domain name and domain-name extension options, and the fastest-growing Internet markets show the greatest interest in expanding domain name options: e.g., 75% in India, 69% in China. In countries with high Internet penetration, the “lesser” demand for new domain-name extensions is around 50% — that still represents a large potential market for a new product.

The survey also supplied some reasons why new extensions would be welcome:
— >50% said new web addresses in meaningful combinations will be easier to remember
— >50% said new domain extensions will make it easier to obtain short, memorable names

  • Internet users generally remain unaware of the opportunities in the new gTLD Program. Numbers varied widely from country to country but results indicate low awareness of the availability of new domain-name extensions and new types of domain names.

“Our survey results show that Internet users still employ domain names widely, voice a preference for more domain name and domain-name extension options, and ‘get it’ when it comes to the possibilities,” said Kurt Pritz, Executive Director of the DNA. “These are important findings for the Domain-Name Industry, indicating a bright future for all domain-name extensions. When Internet users generally become aware of the new domain options, we expect widespread acceptance and even eagerness to adopt them.”The DNA chose Research Now, a global firm headquartered in the U.S., to conduct the survey.About the DNA
The Domain Name Association (the DNA) is a non-profit business association that represents the interests of the domain name industry. It is independent and global in scope, and its membership is open to organizations involved in the provision, support, and sale of domain names, such as domain name registries, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers.Members are based in four continents and include ARI Registry Services, Donuts, GoDaddy, Google, Rightside, Web.com, Afilias and InternetX.The DNA’s mission is to promote the best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet. More information is available at www.thedna.org.he best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet. More information is available at www.thedna.org.This news release from The Domain Name Association was sourced from:
www.thedna.org/pr_20150204.php

DNA Auction Plan to Reinvest Money into Industry by Kurt Pritz

Domain Name Association logoLove them or hate them, auctions are an unavoidable reality of the new Top-Level Domain (TLD) Program

Domain Name Association logoLove them or hate them, auctions are an unavoidable reality of the new Top-Level Domain (TLD) Program.

By their very nature, they create winners and losers. All that is in doubt is where the money goes – to the losing parties under a private auction model or to ICANN under their auction of last resort.

There are pros and cons for both models. But what if there was another way?

Instead of the two current options, what if the proceeds from auctions could be reinvested into the wider domain name industry to be used exclusively for the promotion of domains and fund efforts to support their uptake and use?

This is exactly what the Domain Name Association (DNA) is proposing as part of a new auction of last resort service for the resolution of new TLD contention sets in an effort to provide applicants with greater control and certainty within the auction process.

Following strong support from our members, we are excited to launch the DNA private auction model which will segregate and earmark auction funds to go directly to the promotion of domain names and TLDs.

How will it work?

The DNA private auction model is available to applicants deciding whether to resolve string contention via a private auction or ICANN’s auction of last resort.

In the case of the DNA’s private auction, the auction proceeds will go directly to promoting TLDs. Furthermore, auction participants receive a credit to join the DNA and have a say on how those funds are used.

The proceeds will be distributed as follows:

  • First: Fees for the auction provider will be paid.
  • Second: Disbursements, if any, will be made to auction participants.
  • Third: Optional membership fees in the DNA will be paid.
  • All remaining proceeds will go to the DNA.
  • The auction winner will determine how those proceeds are allocated between funding TLD marketing and awareness campaigns and funding other DNA industry development efforts.

The benefits

The DNA proposed model provides participants with a direct, identifiable benefit; promoting domain name uptake to the target markets, segments and geographies of the auction participants, DNA members and the domain name industry members.

Because the winner’s auction payment will go directly into the promotion of domain names, the winning applicant will also benefit from being a recipient of the global, industry-wide campaigns conducted by the DNA. Auction losers receive benefits also. Most are domain name industry members. They will also receive free DNA membership and have a say in the disposition of the funds through the DNA’s Marketing Committee.

The auction proceeds will directly promote uptake and adoption of their own TLD.

Importantly, the auction winner can work with industry marketing professionals that are members of the DNA Marketing Committee to define and manage the campaigns and activities the auction proceeds fund. The DNA’s marketing committee will work and engage with agencies to conduct education and awareness campaigns.

Other benefits include:

Flexibility

  • Participants can choose when to hold the DNA private auction and not have to wait for the scheduled ICANN auction.
  • Participants can choose the auction provider, format, and length of the rounds.

Confidentiality

  • Participants can choose to have the auction results kept confidential and not have details of the auction rounds or the winning bid made public.

DNA Membership

  • Auction participants that are eligible to join the DNA have the option to have $20,000 of the auction proceeds go to cover their first year’s membership in the DNA at the Strategic level, giving them a voice in how auction proceeds are used to support TLDs.

Why choose a DNA auction?

As the industry’s only non-profit trade association, the DNA is the best placed organization to accept and activate the funds in the interests of the wider industry.

Our mission and primary purpose is to promote domain names. Nearly all our resources are dedicated to this cause. Auction funds will be segregated and earmarked specifically for marketing, promotion and education, to enable us to achieve our purpose. No other current auction or dispute resolution mechanism available provides this certainty,

Under the DNA model, applicants get a seat at the table and direct involvement in the reinvestment of these funds to promote domain names.

The significant funds collected via these auctions has the potential to make a valuable contribution to global awareness and educational programs, which will benefit all TLDs, and their registrars and generally raise the reputation of the Domain Name Industry.

Our message to applicants in a contention set is a clear; consider the merits of the auction models available and evaluate which one offers the greatest overall return on your investment.

This article by Kurt Pritz, DNA Executive Director, was sourced from The Domain Name Association website at:
www.thedna.org/news_dna_auction_plan.php

ICANN/DNA: Infographics Explaining the Domain Name Industry Available

ICANN logoThe Domain Name Industry is a growing network that is immense in scope, made up of organizations, businesses and individuals involved in the business of domain names. In an effort to explain the subject, ICANN has published infographics to illustrate various aspects of the system that plays such a crucial role in the global Internet

ICANN logoThe Domain Name Industry is a growing network that is immense in scope, made up of organizations, businesses and individuals involved in the business of domain names. In an effort to explain the subject, ICANN has published infographics to illustrate various aspects of the system that plays such a crucial role in the global Internet.

The topics of these infographics include the following:

  • Ecosystem – The overall environment of the industry
  • Value Chain – An overview of the layers that make up the Domain Name Industry
  • Responsibilities – The responsibilities of each party from ICANN all the way to domain buyers

These infographics were originally produced in 2013 in conjunction with the Domain Name Association and the versions published by ICANN have been made current. The infographics are subject to the rules of the 2013 Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0.

This ICANN announcement was sourced from:
newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-13may14-en

Domain Name Association Appoints Adrian Kinderis As Chair

The Domain Name Association, the only trade association to represent the interests of the domain name industry, has appointed ARI Registry Services’ CEO Adrian Kinderis as its Chair of the Board.

The Domain Name Association, the only trade association to represent the interests of the domain name industry, has appointed ARI Registry Services’ CEO Adrian Kinderis as its Chair of the Board.Other newly elected officers are Richard Merdinger, Vice President, Domains, GoDaddy who was elected Vice Chair and Statton Hammock, Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, Rightside, was elected Secretary/Treasurer.”With a complete board of directors and leadership roster to call upon, the DNA is now fully empowered to tackle our industry’s challenges and deliver on our educational initiatives,” said Kinderis. “I appreciate the confidence the Board demonstrates in formally selecting me as its Chair, after serving in that role on an interim basis. I look forward to working with the officers and directors to realize our mission to serve both consumers and our sector.”The appoints come about as the expansion of domain names with new gTLDs will soon revolutionise the way people search for information and navigate the internet and will be the catalyst for tremendous innovation in the way brands – commercial and personal – are communicated. To fulfil its commitment to raise awareness about these new opportunities, the DNA will sponsor awareness campaigns that will involve advertising, informative webinars and events, as well as its education website: www.whatdomain.org.In addition to promoting the use of domain names, the DNA also provides its members with opportunities to collaborate with peers, share best practices and ensure mutual success. DNA membership is organized as a multi-tiered structure to accommodate various levels of interest and desire for participation in the work of the DNA. More information is available on the website.For more information, see the ARI Registry Services news release on Kinderis’ appointment below:Adrian Kinderis appointed as Chair of Domain Name Association
ARI Registry Services is pleased to announce that CEO Adrian Kinderis has this week been appointed as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Domain Name Association (DNA), the domain name industry’s global trade body.ARI Registry Services is a founding member of the DNA, alongside other highly reputable companies including Donuts, GoDaddy, Google, Rightside and What Box?.The appointment of Mr Kinderis as Chair of the DNA comes in recognition of his active role within the industry along with his passion and commitment to ensuring the domain name industry flourishes and is better understood by all Internet users.This appointment also complements the company’s position as a leading provider of registry services and consulting.”We have been leading the charge over many years to establish a truly global industry association separate of ICANN,” Mr Kinderis said.”Not only is this a step forward for me, it’s also an achievement that recognises the impressive capabilities of the many staff in my team who work tirelessly in pursuit of continually evolving and advancing our industry.”Mr Kinderis made note of the many achievements ARI Registry Services has attained in service of the wider Internet community.”Over the past decade, our team has made influential contributions to the development of policies and the direction of the industry.”For instance, we were there at the very beginning of the New TLD Program in 2007 and helped usher it into existence through our involvement in ICANN’s GNSO council.”In 2008, we contributed to the creation of the technical protocols to enable non-Latin scripts like شبكة. (.web in Arabic and pronounced “dot shabaka”) to work on the Internet. Through this work, we were part of the very first non-Latin country domain name suffix to be added to the Internet.””Fast forward six years and there we are again trailblazing the path forward for everyone as the first applicant to sign a new TLD contract, the first technology provider to pass the program’s stringent testing regime, and one of the first new TLDs to be added live on the Internet.”Continuing with this theme, we recently implemented a strategic consulting project with Monash University to help them become the first .brand new TLD to be delegated.”ARI has been at the forefront of the new TLD program from the start, and my team will continue to serve the best interests of the industry via our involvement with the DNA.”Mr Kinderis said his role as Chair of the Board of Directors of the DNA complements his commitment to grow ARI Registry Services into the leading provider of back-end registry services.”I’m looking forward to the challenge of channeling the leadership that has taken ARI Registry Services to the forefront of the domain name industry and applying this to my stewardship of the Domain Name Association.”Over the past decade, we’ve built this company from the ground up with a team of experts and a growing client list the envy of our competitors. It’s my responsibility now to take this experience and apply it within the DNA to tackle some of the industry’s biggest challenges.”The DNA’s mission is to promote the best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet.More information is available at www.thedna.org.The ARI Registry Services news release was sourced from:
http://ariservices.com/news-Adrian-Kinderis-appointed-as-Chair-of-Domain-Name-Association.php

Domain Name Association Elects 5 New Board Members

Domain Name Association logo[news release] With the election of five new Directors, the Domain Name Association (DNA), has transitioned from the interim board established in 2013 to one representing the full membership of the Internet domain industry’s only global trade association.  The 12-person board is charged with providing leadership and advancing the association’s mission to educate the public about the expansion of domain names

Domain Name Association logo[news release] With the election of five new Directors, the Domain Name Association (DNA), has transitioned from the interim board established in 2013 to one representing the full membership of the Internet domain industry’s only global trade association.  The 12-person board is charged with providing leadership and advancing the association’s mission to educate the public about the expansion of domain names.

The newly elected Directors are:

  • Philipp Grabensee, Chairman of the Board, Afilias Limited
  • Bob Wiegand, Senior Vice President, Web.com
  • Jeff Neuman, VP, Registry Services, Neustar, Inc.
  • Stacey King, Senior Corporate Counsel, Amazon
  • Vladimir Shadrunov, Director of TLD Projects, Asiamix Digital Ltd.

The full Board roster can be seen on the DNA website.

“The new members make our board stronger and will allow the DNA to address our industry’s challenges and move forward energetically on our educational initiatives,” said Adrian Kinderis, chair of the board. “Because our board members represent a range of important geographies and industry sectors, we are well positioned to act on international concerns and deliver truly global solutions.”

The DNA was established in October 2013 by companies representing the broad Internet industry. Membership is open to organizations involved in all aspects of managing domain names, including top-level domain name registry operators, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers.

Organizations in the domain name industry are joining the DNA to collaborate with peers, share best practice and ensure mutual success through this period of major growth of the Internet. DNA members will be critical players in the next phase of the Internet, with the opportunity to contribute to important industry policy decisions. DNA membership is organized as a multi-tiered structure to accommodate various levels of interest and desire for participation in the work of the DNA. More information is available on the website.

About the DNA
The Domain Name Association (the DNA) is a non-profit business association that represents the interests of the domain name industry. It is independent and global in scope, and its membership is open to organizations involved in the provision, support, and sale of domain names, such as domain name registries, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers.

Founding members include ARI Registry Services, Donuts, GoDaddy, Google, Rightside and What Box?

The DNA’s mission is to promote the best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet. More information is available at www.thedna.org.

This DNA news release was sourced from:
www.thedna.org/pr_20140402.html