-
Finding Common Ground from Common Ground
Neighbors helping neighbors is a necessity in rural America. Simply, there are not enough resources (e.g., the necessity of volunteer fire departments), and it requires a robust community to survive. That’s been one of the lessons from Viodi’s visits to the broadband providers who serve areas where others wouldn’t. Speaking at the ACA Connects Summit,…
-
From Marine Biologist to Grassroots Spirit Award Winner – #TIS22
One would not expect a former marine biologist to win the 2022 ACA Connects Lyn Simpson Grassroots Spirit Award. But serving local communities, which is the essence of that important award, is in Marty Carollo’s blood. His grandfather brought cable television to his part of “The Equality State” in 1956 and Marty grew up in…
-
Connected Beyond Broadband – Matt Polka’s TIS22 Exit Interview
The name ACA Connects reflects the work of its members in building networks that connect Americans. The connections they provide to the communities they serve go beyond the bits and bytes that flow through their networks. Their local presence enables the human connection that really matters. For 25 years, as ACA Connects president and CEO,…
-
Social Media – “A Cancer on Civility” – #TIS22
Greg Walden sometimes wonders, “Does your mother know you talk that way?” As a former U.S. Congressman for more than two decades representing rural Oregon, Walden has noticed a decline in face-to-face civil discourse. In the above interview, he points to the online world as a cause of the in-person rancor, suggesting that social media…
-
A Cyber Security Resource from Uncle Sam – #TIS22
ISPs could use all the help they can muster in the war against cyber criminals, cyber terrorists, and other bad actors. Brian Kettman faces this problem every day. As CTO of digiMAX Fiber, Kettman has found a no-cost scanning resource from the federal government that helps him understand potential vulnerabilities in his network. In the…
-
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…
