Jamie Bennet
Zee Hussain, president of the public sector business at AT&T, became the latest industry executive to be inducted into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 elite list of impactful leaders within the government contracting ecosystem.
This year marks the 10th installment of GovCon’s most prestigious accolade, and Hussain’s selection to receive this award for the first time highlights his commitment to advocating for the use of communications technology to modernize public safety services.
Voting is underway for the ranking of winners at Wash100.com, so don’t forget to cast a vote for your favorite GovCon champion from this year’s class.
Hussain was promoted to his current role in October 2022 after spending two decades in the telecommunication company’s enterprise and commercial businesses. He leads an approximately 4,000-employee organization that provides 5G, fiber and First Responder Network Authority platforms to agencies, academic institutions and health care providers.
AT&T’s initiatives for the nationwide FirstNet broadband network and the Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency communication system signify the company’s expansion into public safety support, Hussain said in a LinkedIn post.
“Through our FirstNet and NG911 work, AT&T is moving beyond its roots in telecom and solidifying its role as a true public safety leader. These first responder-centric platforms are crucial to first responders and those who rely on them when it matters most.”
The first-time Wash100 honoree expressed his support for public-private partnerships to execute the 10-year, $42 billion Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment program. In another LinkedIn post, he endorsed the federal government’s strategy to issue grants and collaborate with telecom companies and academic institutions to implement BEAD on a local level, and create tech jobs in the process.
“There is a great benefit to embracing public-private partnerships. Not only do state and local governments get help implementing infrastructure, but the training and educational opportunities are a direct way to help people build critical skills and ensure a capable workforce for the future,” Hussain wrote.
In 2022, the telecom giant booked several contracts to support tech modernization at different branches of the U.S. government.
AT&T received a $15 million task order from the Defense Information Systems Agency in April to update the Army National Guard’s computer network, GuardNet, and landed a spot on the U.S. Air Force’s Joint All Domain Command and Control program with a $950 million ceiling.
Also in April, AT&T and Northrop Grumman agreed on a joint research and development project with the goal of offering a 5G-enabled digital battle network for the Department of Defense.
The telecom giant secured a potential 11-year, $119 million contract in September to install WiFi-enabled audio conferencing, managed and virtual private networks, security systems, and cloud platforms for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
AT&T strengthened its commitment to FirstNet by providing mid-band 5G+ connectivity to public safety personnel in Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis and 40 other cities in August. The move was hand-in-hand with the launch of Cell Booster Pro, an enterprise-grade miniature cell tower to improve in-building connectivity for FirstNet agencies.
Hussain’s leadership role is helping position the company for its next growth phase in the public sector. Executive Mosaic welcomes him to this year’s Wash100 class, and we expect him and the AT&T team to participate in more federal contracts for telecommunication and public safety.
Voting is underway for the ranking of winners at Wash100.com, so don’t forget to cast a vote for your favorite GovCon champion from this year’s class.
