Secretary Lutnick Appoints Sheriff Michael Adkinson as Chairman of FirstNet Authority Board

Today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that Secretary Howard Lutnick has appointed Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. to serve as Chairman of the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority).

"Sheriff Adkinson is a proven leader who has worked alongside first responders for nearly two decades as Sheriff of Walton County, Florida," said Secretary Lutnick. "His experience will help lead FirstNet, making sure the network is always available, reliable and fast for those working hard to keep our communities safe."

Adkinson is the Sheriff of Walton County, Florida and was appointed to the FirstNet Authority Board in 2024. He has served as the Acting Chairman of the FirstNet Authority Board since September 2025. Adkinson has served as Walton County Sheriff since 2009 and was most recently reelected in 2024. Sheriff Adkinson serves on the Board of Directors for the National Sheriffs' Association and is a past president of the Florida Sheriffs' Association.

"Congratulations to Sheriff Adkinson on his exceptionally well-deserved appointment as Chairman of the FirstNet Authority Board. His deep public safety experience and leadership will continue to be an invaluable asset to FirstNet," said Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator. "I look forward to continuing our work together to strengthen this mission-critical network and ensure first responders can depend on resilient, ubiquitous connectivity when it matters most."

Representatives from government, industry and public safety serve on the Board to oversee FirstNet's activities and help ensure that the FirstNet Authority and its commercial partner, AT&T, develop, deploy, and operate a nationwide broadband network that equips first responders with the mission-critical connectivity they need to save lives and protect U.S. communities.

Background:
The FirstNet Authority's mission is to ensure the deployment, deployment, and operation of the nationwide public safety broadband network that equips first responders to save lives and protect communities across the country. In March 2017, the Department of Commerce and FirstNet announced a contract with AT&T to build and operate the first responder network. The network delivers the technologies and infrastructure that public safety relies on for day-to-day operations, disaster response and recovery, and securing large events. In March, Secretary Lutnick partnered with AT&T to secure an additional $2 billion in value under FirstNet's Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) contract for the benefit of public safety users nationwide.

In the Middle-Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Congress created the FirstNet Authority and directed that it be governed by a 15-person Board, with the U.S. Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget named as permanent Board members. Congress charged the Secretary of Commerce with selecting the remaining 12 appointed members and appointing a Board Chairman.