Janet Britton’s first job was working as a pharmacy cashier at an Eckerd’s Drug Store. She realized the pain her feet endured from standing for a 12-hour shift, so she decided to enter law school.
Now she has ascended to the position of general counsel and executive vice president of human resources for Gonzales-based EATEL, as Business Report details in its latest Executive Spotlight feature highlighting Britton.
Britton joined the family-owned company in the late ’90s as its first and only attorney and helped EATEL develop and launch its wireless product within four months of starting the job.
“From zero to launch in less than four months—it was a great way to show everyone here what I was made of and how I could perform,” says Britton.
She started her telecommunications career as a law clerk before becoming a staff attorney at the Louisiana Public Service Commission. She was there when the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was released.
“I had a front-row seat to see the whole legal world surrounding telecommunications change,” she says. “That experience was critical in preparing me for my current position.”
Among the biggest challenges of the job, Britton says, is dealing with antiquated Federal Communications Commission regulations, some of which date back to 1981.
“The technology is changing so quickly that the regulations cannot keep up,” she says.
Read the full Executive Spotlight Q&A. Here’s an example of what you’ll find.
What is one thing about your job people don’t know about or expect?
“As the custodian of records for EATEL, I have testified to authenticate phone records in a variety of criminal trials, including murder trials.”
