We’re saddened to report that Bill Manning, a prior long time operator of B-Root, passed away on January 25, 2020. We recognize his years of service at B-Root, where he shepherded the service from early days through times thick and thin. His legacy includes advocacy for root-server operator independence–Bill firmly believed in the fundamental principle that independent governance on the Internet was its most core value and continuously fought to ensure that every voice on the Internet had a right to free speech and independence of thought, regardless of location or geographical governance model. Bill was a fierce advocate for the freedom of the end-users of the Internet and he will be missed.