About Usable News

A B O U T U S A B L E N E W S

William Kent Brunette, Usable News’ Managing Partner, is a nationally known consumer advocate, educator, author, and radio show host who helps people from all walks of life understand complex issues and apply them to their lives. An attorney, Brunette has been extensively involved in a wide range of consumer issues over the past 20 years.

Most recently, Brunette has served as a consumer advisor and consultant to Southwestern Bell Communications (SBC) and Bank of America – two of the nation’s largest telecommunications and financial service companies. In an on-going role since 1997, Kent has helped facilitate discussions between SBC and national consumer groups on various telecommunications and merger issues. In a similar position for several years with Bank of America, Brunette helped facilitate discussions with a host of Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organizations on important financial service and consolidation issues. Kent also proposed, developed, and implemented several innovative consumer education and advocacy campaigns that were co-sponsored by key external groups and Bank of America.

For fifteen years (from 1981 until 1996), Kent was the chief federal consumer lobbyist for the 34-million member American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Brunette effectively communicated AARP positions to Members of Congress, federal agencies, and departments at hearings and rulemaking proceedings; in testimony and statements for the record; through media and grassroots activities. While at AARP, Brunette planned and executed two high visibility media campaigns (baseballs, hula hoops) that resulted in congressional passage of measures AARP supported. Over the years, Brunette has established on-going working relationships with many legislators, regulators, consumer advocates, industry and media representatives both in Washington and throughout the country.

Kent is the author of several how-to books which help consumers find their way around today’s marketplace. Books include:

The Mortgage Handbook: Protecting Yourself & Getting The Most For Your Home Financing Dollar (Penguin/Plume);

Money In The Bank: How To Get The Most For Your Banking Dollar (Putnam/Perigee – co-authored with Consumer Federation of America Executive Director Stephen Brobeck); &

Conquer Your Debt: How To Solve Your Credit Problems (Simon & Schuster/Prentice Hall).

Book-related media activities were significant, including in-person tours to major media markets, multiple appearances on Good Morning America and CNN, etc. Brunette also served as a contributing editor on financial law for The Court TV Cradle-To-Grave Legal Survival Guide (Little, Brown & Company). Kent is currently re-writing Conquer Your Debt. He is also penning his first novel. With a working title of Hello Again, this book will explore the changing relationship between a father and his son after the wife and mother has died.

A native of Hearne, Texas, Kent was awarded a B. A. and M. A. in political science from the University of Texas at Austin. He received a J. D. from Baylor University School of Law in Waco, Texas and is a practicing member of the Texas and District of Columbia Bars.

Brunette is currently serving his second, two-year term as a member of the board of directors of San Francisco-based Consumer Action (a non-profit, 501(c)(3) consumer education & advocacy organization with a national network of over 5,000 community-based groups). He is also President & Co-Founder of the Internet Consumers Organization (a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit 501(c)(3) education and advocacy organization).

An amateur genealogist, Brunette frequently researches his roots and travels to Europe to explore family-related sites. Kent is the volunteer coordinator for the Robertson County TXGenWeb Site. He also maintains a family history website at Related Robertson County Families.

"Willie", Brunette's
two-year old, tri-color,
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel,
serves as Usable News' mascot.