MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA (Marketwire) - VeriSign, the operator of.com, announced today that President Bill Clinton will deliver the opening keynote address at its Policy Impact Forum in Washington D.C. on March 16. This event is part of a larger industry-wide campaign led by VeriSign recognizing 25 years of Internet innovation.

In March 1985, the first .com domain name was registered, igniting the birth of the consumer Internet that, 25 years later, continues to globally transform communication, commerce and our society as a whole. In recognition of this milestone, VeriSign will host a series of events bringing together .com's many stakeholders -- including Internet luminaries, online businesses, policymakers, entertainers, consumers and more -- to look at how far the consumer Internet has come, while seeking to better understand the opportunities and challenges of the .com domain of the future.

"Over the last two decades, the Internet has created communities, transformed economies and made the world a smaller place," said Mark McLaughlin, CEO of VeriSign. "President Clinton has been at the forefront of this change, both during his Administration, when the Internet emerged as a social phenomenon, to today through his works with the Clinton Global Initiative and Clinton Foundation. We're delighted to hear his perspective as we mark the Internet's impact on our society and economy."

President Clinton headlines a high-profile series of speakers and panelists to appear at the Policy Impact forum. Other speakers and panelists include:

-- Dr. Fareed Zakaria, author and journalist, keynote address
-- Two panel discussions moderated by Kevin Maney, technology
   author and journalist and Kara Swisher, co-executive editor
   of D: All Things Digital
-- Confirmed panelists thus far include the following:
   -- Rob Atkinson, founder and president, Information Technology &
      Innovation Foundation
   -- Rod Beckstrom, president and CEO, ICANN
   -- Aneesh Chopra, assistant to the president and Federal CTO
   -- Arianna Huffington, co-founder & editor-in-chief, The Huffington Post
   -- Reed Hundt, former chairman, Federal Communications Commission
   -- Mo Rocca, author, actor and humorist
   -- Mark McLaughlin, president & CEO of VeriSign

To learn more about the 25 Years of .com celebration, please visit www.25yearsof.com, which will host a variety of multimedia content throughout the coming months, showcasing the innovators and entrepreneurs who have shaped the Internet. 25yearsof.com is a year-long celebration of Internet innovation, all of which can be followed at:

Twitter: Keep up with our latest news at @25yearsofdotcom

Facebook: Friend us at facebook.com/25yearsofdotcom

Video: Watch people from leading Internet companies answer the question "How Do You .com?" at 25yearsof.com

About VeriSign

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN) is the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world. Billions of times each day, VeriSign helps companies and consumers all over the world engage in communications and commerce with confidence. Additional news and information about the company is available at www.verisign.com.