National Cable & Telecommunications Association vice president of communications David Beckwith has left the trade group in a move that coincides with Rob Stoddard's arrival as senior vice president of communications and public affairs.
Last month, NCTA president Robert Sachs announced that Stoddard would leave AT&T Broadband, where he was senior vice president of public relations, to head the NCTA's broad public-affairs effort. Stoddard began work on Wednesday.
Sachs tapped Stoddard to head both the communications and public-affairs divisions. They had been made into separate units less than two years ago, with Beckwith heading communications and Jim Ewalt leading public affairs. After Stoddard's arrival, Beckwith and Ewalt were to report to Stoddard.
Ewalt will remain with the NCTA.
"Dave concluded his work at NCTA as of the end of the year. He has not publicly announced his future plans. NCTA appreciates his service to the association and the cable industry," said trade group spokesman Marc O. Smith.
Beckwith joined the NCTA in February 2000. He replaced Josie Martin, who resigned in December of 1999 to pursue other interests. Martin followed Victoria "Torie" Clarke, now the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.
Reached for comment about his future plans, Beckwith said he would become a political consultant.
Earlier in his career, Beckwith was a national correspondent for Time
magazine, press secretary for Vice President Dan Quayle and a communications aide in the early stages of then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush's presidential campaign.
NCTA represents cable operators serving about 90 percent of the nation's 70 million cable subscribers, about 200 cable networks and industry equipment suppliers.
