Western Telecommunications Alliance

HELENA, MONTANA – OCTOBER 7, 2009 – Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA) is pleased to announce the election of its new officers for the coming two years: Bruce Todd, CEO Strata Networks in Roosevelt, UT as President; Jim Woody, CEO of Union Telephone, Mountain View, WY as Vice President; Mike Dolezal, General Manager of ATC Communications, Albion, ID as Secretary-Treasurer; and David Arvig, COO and Vice President of Arvig Communications Systems in Perham, MN as Past President. Additionally, David Baker, Sierra Telephone Company, Oakhurst, CA; Al Pedersen, Sandwich Isles Communications, Honolulu, HI; Denise Russell, Northern Arkansas Telephone Co.; Mark Gailey, Totah Communications, Ochelata, OK; Paul Kelly, Cordova Telephone Coop., Cordova, AK; and Jack Keen, Western New Mexico Telephone Co., Silver City, NM; were elected to serve on the Executive Committee.

“I am humbled by the fact that the WTA Board of Directors is entrusting me to lead the association over the next couple of years,” said Bruce Todd. This is a crucial time for rural telcos and their customers. A lot is at stake and we need to work together to ensure that all our customers have fair access to advanced telecommunications services at affordable rates. I look forward to working as hard as possible to represent the interests of the WTA members,” said Todd.

The WTA membership elected the following members who will serve three year terms on the Board of Directors: David Baker, Sierra Telephone Co. (CA); Mike Dolezal, ATC Communications (ID); Steve Davis, SC Telcom (KS); Brad Veis, 3 Rivers Communications (MT); Mark Feest, CC Communications (NV); Jack Keen, Western New Mexico Telephone Company (NM); Mark Benton, Midstate Communications (SD); and Bruce Todd, Strata Networks (UT). Curtis Hunt, Border to Border (TX) was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board for Texas.

HELENA, MONTANA – WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2009 – Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA) announced at its recent fall annual meeting that Jack W. Keen of Western New Mexico Telephone Company, Silver City, New Mexico was awarded the Jack H Rhyner Award by the association’s President David Arvig of Arvig Communications in Minnesota. The Jack H Rhyner Award is given to a member of the association who has demonstrated great leadership and extraordinary commitment and dedication to WTA, its membership, and the industry as a whole. The award is named after the late Jack H Rhyner who was a nationally recognized leader within the industry and a strong advocate for rural ILECs regardless of whether they were east or west of the Mississippi River.

“Jack Keen has been committed to ensuring that consumers living in rural and high cost areas of the country have access to telecommunications services at levels comparable to those consumers living in urban areas”, said Arvig. “His tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed and it was a pleasure for me to present him with the Jack H Rhyner Award on behalf of WTA.”

David Arvig also presented Dana Baker of GVNW, Inc. with the association’s Associate Member Award.  Outgoing Board Members Rob Stephens, Range Telephone Cooperative (MT); Gerald Washburn, Golden Belt Telephone Assn. (KS); and John Christian, Lincoln County Telephone Systems (NV) were also honored and recognized for their exemplary service to WTA.

Summaries of the applications can be viewed here. 

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On March 10, 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Rural Utilities Service (RUS), and the FCC will hold its first of several public meetings in connection with the broadband initiatives in the economic stimulus law.  The meeting will begin at 10 am and end at 11:30 am Eastern.  The meeting will be streamed on the Internet and archived on both the NTIA and RUS websites, www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants and www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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