Connecting Through Convention and Conference Season

After the roaring success of our June Annual Convention, I want to thank everyone who made it possible. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, hear from industry leaders, and celebrate the work being done across our broadband community. Events like this continue to remind me how strong and collaborative our membership is, and I appreciate the time and energy so many of you invested in making the convention meaningful. The decade ahead is looking bright, indeed.

Speaking of the future, we have several exciting opportunities coming up this fall. Tennessee is the host state for the upcoming NTCA Fall Conference, allowing providers from all over the nation to get a glimpse of what makes our state’s providers, communities, leadership, and innovation lead the way. I encourage our members to participate and help us extend a warm Tennessee welcome to attendees from across the country.

Planning is already underway for the TNBA/KYRBA Fall Conference. Registration will officially open in July, and we will accept speaker proposals through July 24. We encourage members, vendors, and industry partners to submit topics that can benefit our attendees. We’re keeping the theme under wraps for now, but you can bet we’ll be focusing on what happens next for broadband: expansion, retention, and more growth. These conferences continue to be valuable opportunities to exchange ideas, discuss emerging technologies, and strengthen regional partnerships.

We’ll also launch the first TNBA AI Peer Group meeting in June. Artificial intelligence continues to shape conversations across every industry, including broadband operations and customer service. This new peer group will provide members with a forum to share ideas, discuss practical applications, and explore how AI tools can support our organizations moving forward.

As we move into the heart of storm season, I also want to encourage providers and vendor partners to work together proactively in preparing for summer weather events. Strong communication and coordination before storms arrive can make a tremendous difference in restoration efforts. The relationships built through TNBA often become most valuable during challenging moments, and preparation remains 1 of the best tools we have.

Finally, I want to congratulate the newly approved TNBA officers, who were confirmed by the Board during our Annual Conference. We appreciate their willingness to serve and help guide the association in the coming year. I would also like to recognize James Garner for his years of leadership and service following his retirement from TEC. We are grateful for his contributions to both TNBA and the industry.

I hope everyone has a safe and productive summer, and I look forward to seeing many of you again very soon.

⭐ Plan ahead and get ahead—The 2026 KYRBA/TNBA Joint Conference & Vendor Showcase opens registration early July.