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Biography of Wayne R. Jortner
Wayne R. Jortner is Senior Counsel to the Maine Public Advocate, an independent state agency created in 1981 to represent Maine's telephone, electric, gas, and water utility customers before the Maine Public Utilities Commission, courts of law, and federal agencies. Mr. Jortner has 24 years of legal experience including 12 years with the Maine Public Advocate, where his primary focus has been on telecommunications issues. Currently, he is USAC's Treasurer.
Mr. Jortner is the author of the Ratewatcher Phone Guide, a semi-annual 16-page publication that compares the rates of telecommunications service providers and provides information about telephone services, Internet services, and wireless services in Maine. The guide is read by approximately 40,000 Maine consumers. From 1996 to 2001, as President of the Maine Telecommunications Education Fund, Mr. Jortner participated in successful efforts to increase Lifeline penetration in Maine and educate Maine consumers concerning telecommunications issues. In addition, since 1993, Mr. Jortner has been a member of the Telecommunications Committee of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA). NASUCA represents millions of utility customers throughout the U.S. and its members include 42 independent utility consumer advocacy offices in 40 states and the District of Columbia. NASUCA frequently participates in FCC proceedings and legislative issues before Congress. Mr. Jortner has been a featured speaker at NASUCA's national conferences on three occasions.
In 1976, Mr. Jortner received a Bachelor's Degree in Economics with honors from Queens College of the City University of New York. In 1979, he received a J.D. degree from Rutgers University. Mr. Jortner is admitted to practice law in New York and Maine.
