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From Broadband to Economic Development to Philanthropy & Beekeeping
What a pleasant surprise to see retired ACA Connects Chairman, Bob Gessner at the 2022 Independent Show. It was Matt Polka’s retirement that spurred Gessner to make the trip to Orlando. At TIS22 and in the above interview Gessner had some moving words about Matt and his 25 years as ACA Connects’ leader. Gessner has…
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Uniting by Fiber – #TIS2022
What started as a vision to build broadband to serve its extremely rural (think one or two homes per mile) electric cooperative territory has morphed into something bigger. United Fiber, the broadband business started by Missouri-based United Electric Cooperative, now has approximately three times as many customers as does their traditional electrical business. They have…
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Reunion of the Work Family – #TIS22
“It is great to be back here,” says ACA Connects EVP & COO, John Higginbotham. Likening the Independent Show 2022 to a work family reunion, he describes the magic of being with and catching up with colleagues and friends from all parts of the country. Having been an attendee from the operator side of the…
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Doing It Her Way – A Conversation with the Chairman of the Board, Patty Boyers
Whether it is at the Independent Show or the ACA Connects Summit, a highlight of these conferences is catching up with Boycom president and ACA Connects Chairman, Patty Boyers. In the above interview, filmed at TIS22, Boyers explains why she chose the moniker, Chairman. It has been a particularly busy time for Boyers as she…
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Be the Local Broadband Professor – #TIS2022 Recap with ACA Connects’ Grant Spellmeyer
Be the local broadband professor summarizes the advice given by Rhod Shaw, Principal & Chairman of the Alpine Group, at the State and Federal update session at the 2022 Independent Show (TIS). Moderated by ACA Connects President and CEO, Grant Spellmeyer, with Shaw and Tom Cohen, Partner at Kelley Drye, serving as panelists, this panel…
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Independents Fiber & More at The Independent Show – #TIS22
The first statewide fiber network that brings together the fiber of independent local exchange carriers and electric cooperatives is how Rob Shema, CEO of CNI, describes Hoosier Net. Independents Fiber Network, a wholly owned subsidiary of CNI, is one of the members. Hoosier Net is modeled on Ohio-based Independents Fiber Network in that it will…
