We’ve Done a Lot & There’s a Lot More to Come

By Carrie Huckeby

Here we are in April! We’ve already done so much this year.

Most recently, our annual Day on the Hill was March 18 with a number of our members in attendance. Members get to connect with 1 another, share their successes, and affirm the importance of reliable, affordable broadband.

The event kicked off with a grab-and-go breakfast, and the association displayed the state’s connectivity with a large map. We observed the network footprint of Iris Networks, and we saw highlights of businesses and consumers using our members’ broadband services. Appointments with legislators made up the rest of the day.

We’re looking ahead to events like Governor Bill Lee’s annual prayer breakfast. Our lobbying team will attend the Nashville Leaders luncheon, and we plan to be at NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association’s Legislative & Policy Conference later this month to hear about the Universal Service Fund and the latest Broadband Equity Access and Deployment news.

The association members’ executive assistants met in March at Twin Lakes’ Cookeville location. Highlights included a TEKsystems-sponsored lunch, a discussion of workforce development and the labor market with Shaun Knight, and a roundtable discussion. The marketing group will meet this month at WK&T in Mayfield, Kentucky. I believe these committee meetings are important in keeping the association strong because they allow members to come together to build on their relationships and share what works and what doesn’t.

And our annual Tennessee Broadband Association (TNBA) Convention & Showcase is right around the corner. It’s scheduled for June 3 through 5 at the Franklin Cool Springs Marriott. This is 1 of my favorite events, as it lets me put faces with names. I’m excited about the speaker lineup, which includes NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield and Ramsey Solutions’ Ken Coleman. Incoming TNBA President Mark Patterson will interview Taylre Beaty, of the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development. John Suter, with NCSC, will update us on the U.S. economy, and Christian Hansen, from Moss Adams, will lead a panel on cybersecurity challenges. The afternoon offers breakout sessions, and we’ll have a cooler full of ice cream at the networking break. We’ll wrap up with a casino night—play money and all. And on Thursday, 62 booth spaces will be filled with the latest innovation and technology manufacturers.

It’s a busy time—lots of spinning plates. I know you’re busy, too, and I look forward to seeing you at 1 of the upcoming events. If not, then in June!