Competitive Enterprise Institute Scholar to Champion Consumers Interests on Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee

The Competitive Enterprise Institute is pleased to announce that adjunct scholar Fran Smith has been appointed by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to serve as the consumer representative on the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.

“In my many years of dealing with policy issues, I have worked hard to identify and implement public policies that empower consumers to make informed decisions in their everyday lives and in their own best interests,” said Smith, who served for 12 years as the executive director of Consumer Alert, a pro-consumer group. “In my role on the advisory committee, I plan to take a similar approach to champion consumer interests.”

“Fran Smith is a formidable, accomplished advocate for consumer empowerment,” said CEI President Kent Lassman. “CEI is proud of her record as a consumer advocate and we look forward to hearing her strong voice for consumers on the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.”

The committee is scheduled to meet on January 16, 2019 with a mandate to “evaluate current aviation consumer protection programs and provide recommendations to the Secretary for improving them, as well as recommend any additional consumer protections that may be needed.”

About Fran Smith

Fran Smith is a consumer policy expert and Adjunct Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. She served from 1994-2005 as Executive Director of Consumer Alert, a national consumer group. Smith was also the founder and coordinator of International Consumers for Civil Society, an umbrella group of 24 nonprofit organization members in 13 countries worldwide.

She received an appointment to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Trade and Environmental Policy Advisory Committee, which reviews and comments on trade agreements and related matters involving the U.S. She also served a four-year appointment on the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine’s Food Forum.

Smith has testified before congressional committees and regulatory agencies, has been a participant in numerous public meetings of regulatory agencies, and has commented on regulatory issues both domestically and internationally. She was a contributing editor at Consumers’ Research magazine and has had articles and letters published in the Legal Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, Detroit News, Investor’s Business Daily, Journal of Commerce, Washington Post, Washington Times, New York Times, and other newspapers.

Kent Lassman

Fran Smith

The Competitive Enterprise Institute is pleased to announce that adjunct scholar Fran Smith has been appointed by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to serve as the consumer representative on the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.