The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2016 75 at his home, along with several highly skilled computer special- ists. Most of them were younger and fully employed; but the idea of establishing and operating our own ISP, on a voluntary basis, excited all of us. We quickly drew up a plan whereby these skilled computer technicians would run the internet service provider (ISP), taking turns monitoring our equipment. Some of them even donated their own computers, while two of us made interest- free loans to purchase the specialized equipment required. Soon NOVA.org was up and running out of a spare room in Jim’s office building. Initially, the members of our small group were its only customers. Not too long thereafter, Jim changed employers, so we had to find a new site for the equipment. Eventually, the Fairfax County public access TV station agreed to house us in Merr i- field, Virginia. Our ISP’s reliability improved, and our customer base grew rapidly. My colleagues encouraged me to run for a seat on the Fair- fax Public Access Board of Directors. I was elected and served for several years, ultimately becoming president of the board. NOVA.org soon became an integral part of Fairfax Public Access. As president of the Fairfax Public Access Board, I initiated and negotiated FPA’s purchase of its building, located in an area that was about to undergo a major renewal. There was considerable resistance from some board members when I proposed that we buy the building. Then, once I had the major- ity of the FPA board in agreement, there were members of the county Board of Supervisors to convince. I spent a good hour before the County Board of Supervisors explaining our reasons for buying the building. Finally, after explaining that our doing so would not cost the county a dime, the board gave me the green light to proceed with the purchase. Within a week our treasurer and I met at the building owner’s law firm in Washington, D.C. With a reasonable mort- gage in hand, the bank representative and I signed the papers, making Fairfax Public Access owner of the building. I’ve since been told that the resulting increase in value has enabled FPA to purchase and install some of the latest broadcast technology in its studios and control rooms. To this day, I use my email address, powers@nova.org, with pride. n Robert Allen Powers retired from the Foreign Service in 1995. He served in Manila, Beirut, Banmethout (Vietnam), Guadalajara, Santiago, Panama, Tel Aviv, Rome, Vienna and Washington, D.C.