October 5, 2004 Orlando, FL--UTOPIA leaders Paul Morris and David Shaw were awarded the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council 2004 STAR Award for their leadership and efforts in bringing FTTH to 14 Utah cities. Morris and Shaw were presented with the award at the 2004 FTTH Conference and Expo.
The Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) is a consortium of 14 Utah cities engaged in deploying and operating a fiber-optic network to every business and household (about 170,000) within its footprint. Operating at the wholesale level, it supports open access and promotes competition in all telecommunications services.
Morris is the executive director of UTOPIA, serving as chief executive officer. Morris has served as the city attorney for West Valley City, Utah, since 1983. He has chaired the Utah League of Cities and Towns Telecommunications Task Force since 1997. Morris is past president of the Utah Municipal Attorneys Association and is a member of both the Utah and California bar. He is also a member of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
A graduate of Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and a law degree, Morris also holds a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Utah.
Shaw is the general counsel to UTOPIA, and takes a lead role in developing and negotiating contracts and service agreements for UTOPIA, as well as ensuring that UTOPIA's activities are consistent with federal and state laws. He has been serving as assistant city attorney for the City of Murray (Utah) since 1999 and, in this capacity, has developed a recognized expertise in the legal issues facing municipal enterprise activities such as power, water, wastewater and telecommunications.
Shaw holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and Spanish language from Brigham Young University. He graduated with a juris doctorate from the University of Utah Law School. He is a member of the Utah Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Federal Communications Bar Association and the Energy Bar Association.
The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council is a non-profit organization established in 2001 to educate the public on the opportunities and benefits of fiber-to-the-home solutions. FTTH Council members represent all areas of broadband industries, including telecommunications, computing, networking, system integration, engineering, and content-provider companies, as well as traditional telecommunications service providers, utilities and municipalities. Communities and organizations interested in exploring FTTH options can find information on the FTTH Council website.