The Year— & Decade—Ahead
By Carrie Huckeby
Dear TNBA Members and Partners,
2026 has already been an eventful year, with plenty of changes, inclement weather, and other challenges that our members are rising to face and overcome.
In recent weeks, Winter Storm Fern reminded us of the resilience of Tennessee providers. Crews worked tirelessly to restore service and keep communities connected during difficult conditions. That commitment to reliability remains the foundation for the next decade of growth.
These tests prove the strength of our organization and how we unite to provide for our communities. In the face of it all, there are exciting things on the horizon, proving every cloud—or ice storm—has a silver lining. Here’s what else is happening:
2026 Annual Convention & Showcase
Registration opened on March 1 for our 2026 Annual Convention & Showcase, and we look forward to bringing Tennessee’s broadband community together once again.
We’re pleased to announce this year’s theme: 2026-2036: The Future Built on Broadband. Defining the Next Decade of Broadband in Tennessee.
This theme challenges us to look ahead with intention. As networks mature and technology accelerates, we’ll focus on what to protect, what to automate, and how to maintain the human connection that defines our industry. Sessions will explore the evolving AI landscape, policy developments, partnerships, and the expanding role of broadband in small business, health care, education, and home life.
There will be 64 exhibitor booths available, and vendors will once again have the opportunity to choose their booth location. We also offer a range of exclusive and traditional sponsorship opportunities designed to provide meaningful visibility and engagement. Please visit our registration website to secure your spot while they’re still available.
Thoughts on RTIME
I had the privilege of attending RTIME in Orlando, where I saw and heard a common theme in many of the sessions I attended, sustainability. Sustaining USF support, community relationships, the drive to create new revenue and services, sustaining a workforce, and a focus that doesn’t waver on the customer experience. No matter the subject matter, members are in the grind of daily tasks, but also strategizing the “what-ifs”: USF, AI, available workforce, and new revenue streams.
My ultimate takeaway was that if you go to a conference and do not take a single note, sustaining relationships and connections is vital. The conversations in the corridor, the business cards collected, and a good speaker for a meeting can all be found at industry meetings.
I left realizing these conferences exemplify sustainability by offering more than content. They offer the foundation of long-term relationships, industry expertise, and success.
AI Workshop
Our recent AI Workshop, led by Carlton Davis, reinforced the importance of embracing new tools while exercising caution. They should strengthen operations and customer trust and loyalty, without risking confidentiality or customer service. TNBA will continue providing resources to help members navigate this rapidly changing environment.
Carlton noted the “big 3” obstacles preventing adoption:
- Being “too technical.”
- Not knowing where to start
- Mistrusting the technology
I believe these concerns apply to any change—be it technology, personnel, programs, etc. That’s why we’re grateful for people like Carlton who break things down in plain language, help us navigate the plethora of information to locate a starting point, and encourage us to approach new frontiers with healthy levels of both skepticism and enthusiasm.
To echo a quote from Steve Barlett I recently read,
“The future belongs to the unromantic adapters—people and companies who hold tightly to what they’re trying to achieve and hold loosely to how they’re currently achieving it.”
That means taking risks, letting go of our grasp on long-held beliefs and practices, and experimenting with new means to fulfill our vision of the end.
Interestingly, Dr. Mark Taormino of the College of Southern Nevada proclaims that, like broadband before it, there’s an AI Equity Crisis, particularly when it comes to paid versions of tools, as well as education around its adoption. This is why TNBA will continue its efforts to provide workshops and instruction on how to use it.
Think about how this applies to the road to 2036, all the exciting opportunities AI will unveil along the way, and how we can encourage others to benefit from all it offers.
You can read more about the AI workshop here, and look forward to hearing more about Darren Duke’s brilliant fiber calculator soon.
A Fond Farewell
As Executive Director of TNBA, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Shirley Bloomfield for her extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to rural broadband over the past 4 decades. Throughout her tenure at NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, she has helped revolutionize our industry, championing community-based providers who proved that even the most rural and hard-to-serve areas deserve world-class connectivity.
Shirley consistently reminded us that broadband is about more than infrastructure. It is about opportunity—connecting families after storms, empowering students to learn beyond their ZIP codes, and enabling farmers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to thrive without leaving the communities they love.
Her steady advocacy for universal service and her deep respect for the cooperative model have strengthened not only our members but the entire rural broadband movement. We are profoundly grateful for her vision, her partnership, and the example she set in always putting people and community first.
At the same time, we offer a warm welcome to Mike Romano as NTCA’s new CEO. Mike has served as NTCA’s executive vice president for over 25 years, leading public policy, government affairs, business development, member engagement, information technology, and the work of the Foundation for Rural Service.
Over the past 15 years, he worked closely with small, community-based broadband providers, witnessing firsthand the impact they have in driving innovation and strengthening rural communities. We look forward to partnering with him as he continues advocating for rural broadband providers and the communities we serve.
As you plan for the year ahead, I invite you to consider: What is your vision for 2036? The next chapter of broadband in Tennessee will be built by the people in this association.
I look forward to seeing you at the convention.