Co-ops Connect 2021 Speaker Bios
Session 1 - Set Up for Success: Proven Models for Feasibility Studies & Business Planning
Randy Klindt - Moderator
Randy Klindt
Partner, Conexon
Conexon Founding Partner Randy Klindt is a pioneer of the electric cooperative broadband movement, widely credited with architecting the most cost-efficient fiber-to-the-home design in use by electric co-ops today. With over 20 years of hands-on cooperative operational experience, Randy conceptualized, built and operated the nation’s first privately funded electric cooperative fiber network, Co-Mo Connect in Missouri, as well as the nation’s largest electric cooperative fiber network, OzarksGo in Arkansas.
Randy’s unwavering vision that fiber broadband is possible for all rural Americans continues to change the telecommunications industry landscape. In 2015, while the General Manager of Co-Mo Connect, Randy formed Conexon to support rural electric cooperatives by providing end-to-end FTTH project solutions. Today, Conexon’s mission and methodology are broadly considered the defining standard of rural electric co-op fiber networks.
Since its beginning, Conexon has worked with over 200 electric cooperatives, designed over 200,000 miles of fiber networks, managed tens of thousands of miles of fiber construction, and connected nearly 500,000 rural Americans to world-class fiber broadband.
In 2021, Conexon launched its internet service provider entity, Conexon Connect, another of Randy’s visions to change the face of rural internet with an innovative solution to operate and manage cooperative and investor-owned fiber networks.
Herschel K. Arant - Panelist
Herschel K. Arant Jr., P.E.
Senior VP of Energy Supply and External Services, Central Georgia EMC
Herschel Arant is the Sr. Vice President of Energy Supply and External Services with Central Georgia EMC where he has worked for the past 17 years. Herschel has over 25 years of experience in the area of T&D engineering and system operations. He holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Techand an MBA from Georgia State University. Herschel is a member of IEEE and a registered professional engineer in the State of Georgia.
Tim Smith - Panelist
Tim Smith
GM, East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative
Tim Smith has been in the electric cooperative industry for over twenty-six (26) years. Prior to his experience with electric cooperatives, he worked 14 years for agovernment contractor. Currently, as the General Manager of East Central Electric, he has a clear understanding of every aspect of the Cooperative and the members they serve.
East Central Electric is one of the largest distribution cooperatives in the state, serving over 35,000 meters in nine counties in rural and urban areas in eastern Oklahoma. Today the cooperative maintains over 6,300 miles of line with over 75% of sales coming from residential members.
Tim understands the needs of rural Oklahoma and serves on several focus groups throughout the state. He has been instrumental in bringing rural broadband to Oklahoma to the underserved cooperative members within East Central Electric’s territory. In 2019, East Central Electric began construction on the Fiber to the Home project and today they have constructed over 3,200 miles of line and installed fiber to over 6,200 subscribers.
Currently, Tim serves on the Cooperative Broadband Coalition Board, Okmulgee Area Development Corporation Board, NRECA Board of Directors, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperative Board and as the alternate trustee at both KAMO Power and Western Farmers Electric Cooperative.
Randy Carroll - Panelist
Randy Carroll
CEO, East Mississippi Electric Power Association
Randy Carroll has been involved in the electric utility industry for more than forty-three years. Serving as the Chief Executive Officer of East Mississippi Electric Power Association (EMEPA), Randy is responsible for managing daily operations at EMEPA, including staffing, budgeting, strategic planning, as well as forecasting sales growth, capital plant budget, expense budget and impacts to Association due to financial, economic and legislative actions.
Randy represents EMEPA in Wholesale Purchased Power negotiations with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Southeastern Federal Power Administration and Mississippi Power Company. Randy serves as EMEPA’s Director on the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Board and member representative of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association.
Randy also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of East Mississippi Connect, LLC (EMC). These duties include management responsibility of a fiber to the home expansion spanning 4,000 miles of backbone fiber, addition of over 12,500 broadband customers and 2,500 internet-based phone customers.
Randy received his Bachelor of Science in Business and Industry from Mississippi State University in Meridian and his Management Internship Certificate and Advanced Management Certificate through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Executive Training Center in Lincoln Nebraska.
Randy and his wife Melanie reside in Meridian, MS. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law and two grandchildren with a third on the way.
Ron Barnes - Panelist
Ron Barnes
President/CEO, Coast Electric Power Association
Ron Barnes, APR is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor’s of Science degree Business Administration. Ron started his career in the Electric Power industry in December 1995 with Coast Electric Power Association. Before coming to work for Coast Electric, Ron spent 7 years working in fund-raising and public relations for the Boy Scouts of America.
Before assuming the role of President and CEO of Coast Electric, Ron’s areas of responsibility included residential and commercial marketing, public relations, internal and external communications, legislative affairs and member services.
Ron is a past president of the MS Beach chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, past president of Leadership Gulf Coast, past president of the United Way of South Mississippi, and past president of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The Sun Herald named Ron one of the “Top 10 Business Leaders Under 40” and he is a member of the Roland Weeks Community Leaders Hall of Fame.
Ron is currently on the board of directors of the Electric Cooperatives of MS, Gulf Coast Business Council, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The People’s Bank and CooperativeEnergy. Ron is currently serving as the President of the MS Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce.
In 2020, Ron was named the first CEO of CoastConnect, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coast Electric Power, with the purpose of bringing high speed, fiber to the home internet service to residents and businesses in South Mississippi.
Ron is married to the former Angel Parker of Pensacola, FL and they have four children.
Wendy Sellers - Panelist
Wendy Sellers
President/CEO, Washington EMC
Wendy Sellers is President/CEO of Washington EMC. She has enjoyed a 26-year career completely dedicated to the electric cooperative industry. Wendy began her career with the utility software firm, Southeastern Data Cooperative where she served EMCs nationwide. In 1998 she joined SawneeElectric Membership Corporation headquartered in Cumming, Georgia where she served as their Vice President of Finance and later as Chief Financial Officer. In 2005, Wendy joined Washington EMC where she served as Chief Financial Officer until November, 2012 at which time she accepted the role as President/CEO. As CEO, Wendy provides leadership and strategic direction to a team of over 60 dedicated employees providing exceptional service to the 15,500 member-owners of the cooperative over a ten-county electric distribution system.
In addition to her role as President/CEO at Washington EMC, Wendy serves as Chairman of the Green Power EMC board of directors, a renewable energy cooperative formed and owned by the electric membership cooperatives of Georgia. Wendy also serves on the Board of Directors of Georgia Transmission Corporation, is the current President of the Georgia Rural Electric Managers Association and serves Georgia, South Carolina and Florida as the elected Region 2 director for Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange.
Wendy earned an Associate’s Degree in Education from Middle Georgia State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Georgia College and State University. She and her husband love life in middle Georgia and stay busy with their three children.
Jarrod Campbell - Panelist
Jarrod Campbell
CEO/General Manager of Osage Valley Electric Cooperative
Jarrod Campbell, CEO/General Manager of Osage Valley Electric Cooperative in Butler, MO, began his career at OVEC 22 years ago as a summer intern working on the right-of-way crew. After three summers in this capacity, he was hired full time to begin working on the right of way crew. Throughout the last 19 years of employment, he has held many positions within the company from member service director to office manager to assistant manager to eventually the capacity I am in today as CEO/ General Manager.
Jarrod is a 1998 graduate of Clinton High school and a 2002 graduate of the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. He enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing, and spending quality time with his family: his wife, Christian, and their two children, Hannah (16) and Kaydith (15).
Session 2 - Broadband the Co-op Way: Future Funding Opportunities
Jonathan Chambers - Moderator/Speaker
Jonathan Chambers
Partner, Conexon
For over 30 years, Jonathan Chambers has been deeply involved in and influenced the development of government telecommunications policy and the deployment of the internet access networks. Early in his career, Jonathan worked in the U.S. Senate as the Republican staff director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. During that time, the Committee overhauled most of the federal laws that today still govern the telecommunications industry, including the wireless, cable, telephone and internet access industries.
Later, Jonathan worked in the U.S. and Europe with cable television and wireless providers as the first broadband and digital mobile networks were planned, designed, and constructed.
In 2012, Jonathan returned to the federal government as the Chief of the Office of Strategic Planning for the FCC. He was the principal advocate for the reforms that altered $12 billion in annual FCC spending from support of voice services to support of broadband services, and from subsidies for incumbents to competitive bidding.
Since early 2016, Jonathan has worked exclusively with electric cooperatives to plan, fund, design, construct and operate fiber optic networks to bring much-needed broadband services to rural America. Under Jonathan’s leadership, rural electric cooperatives have collectively secured more federal broadband funding than any other group in the country. In 2021, his expert guidance resulted in Conexon’s Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium, made up of nearly 90 co-ops, receiving more than $1.1 billion through the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction to deliver broadband service to rural Americans throughout the country.
Jonathan holds a BA in economics from Yale College, an MA in international affairs from Columbia University and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center. He is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia.
Session 3 – Network Design Gamechangers: White Board Session
Mike Byrne - Moderator
Mike Byrne
SVP Information Systems, Conexon
Mike Byrne brings a wealth of geospatial analysis expertise to Conexon electric co-op clients and a passion for advancing public policy through the use of transparent information. Mike has 30 years of geospatial design, analysis and implementation experience in the private and public sectors.
He served as the first Geographic Information Officer for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where he led the creation of the first-ever National Broadband Map, an interactive and searchable online map showing broadband availability nationwide, in many cases in block-by-block detail.
This game-changing tool produced a never-before-available clear and accurate picture of the national broadband footprint. The map served as an invaluable resource for the FCC in accurately determining where broadband was or was not available. Mike’s work helped form the foundation of the Connect America Fund (CAF) and enhanced the collective understanding of where investments were needed to fulfill a connected America vision. He was awarded a Service to America Medal, the highest award given to government employees, for his work.
Mike developed and coded Conexon’s proprietary design software, which converts electric network GIS data into a distributed tap fiber architecture. This software tool allows Conexon to design rural fiber networks with unparalleled speed and accuracy. Mike leads the software development team, which focuses on improving network construction and operations through tools specific to the electric coop market.
Mike is a former member of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee and member of the board of directors of the National States GIS Council.
Jack Davis - Panelist
Jack Davis
General Manager, Pemiscot-Dunklin Fiber (Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative)
Jack is the General Manager of Pemiscot Dunklin Fiber (Pemiscot Dunklin Electric Cooperative). Jack brings over 24 years of experience to the Cooperative having started in the dial-up ISP industry in the mid 1990s. Jack is a Missouri Bootheel native and proud to be a part of Pemiscot Dunklin Electric's mission to bring a world-class Fiber to the Home network to the Cooperative's entire service area and beyond.
Mark T. Cook - Panelist
Mark T. Cook
Manager of Broadband Division, Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation
Mark is the Broadband Manager for Cumberland Connect, LLC located in Clarksville, TN. Cumberland Connect, LLC is the broadband subsidiary of Cumberland EMC. Cumberland EMC serves 5 northwest middle Tennessee counties with over 105,000 meters. Cumberland Connect recently (August 2, 2021) celebrated their 10,000 broadband subscriber just 15 months after their May 1, 2020 launch date.
Mark began his career at CEMC in 2005. Mark previously was the Traffic Engineer for the City of Clarksville. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Technological University in 1994. Mark was previously the Manager of Engineering for CEMC before taking over as Broadband Manager for Cumberland Connect in May 2020.
Mark is a native of Clarksville, TN. He has been married to his wife, Stephani, for 30 years and they have two children: Brady, 25, and Marklee, 23.
Kerry Kelton - Panelist
Kerry Kelton
CEO, Mid-South Electric Cooperative
Kerry Kelton, P.E. is a progressive and innovative CEO at Mid-South Electric, a growing electric cooperative, MSEC Enterprises, a rapidly expanding water/wastewater utility in Central Texas, and Sole Manager, CEO President of MSEC Communications, LLC providing fiber high speed internet to rural areas. His passion for the cooperative started early in his career as an engineer and system operator, ultimately allowing him to reach his goal of CEO in the year of 2000. Kerry graduated from Texas A&M University with an electrical engineering degree and achieved his Professional Electrical Engineer certification shortly thereafter. Throughout his career, Kerry has proven his leadership through his participation and contribution to numerous boards and committees around country. Kerry currently serves the national organization as the NRECA Director for the State of Texas.
Session 4 – Smart Grid Technology: The Smart Choice for Streamlining Operations
Carl Meyerhoefer - Moderator
Carl Meyerhoefer
SVP Business Development, Conexon
Carl has been working in the telecommunications industry for over 25 years helping service providers successfully deploy fiber-to-the-home networks. Leveraging a strong understanding of telecommunications technology and architectures coupled with keen understanding of customer and market needs, Carl has successfully developed and grown over $300 million in new business revenue while working for industry-leading organizations such as CommScope and Calix.
Over the past several years, Carl has concentrated on developing greenfield emerging markets with a focus on electric utilities. He was an early advocate and catalyst for the electric cooperative broadband movement. At Conexon, Carl will be working with new and existing clients to drive new business growth for Conexon. His focus on developing Smart Grid solutions will allow electric co-op clients to leverage the power of a high-bandwidth, low-latency fiber connection all the way to the member’s home.
Carl’s career has included executive positions in Product Management, Business Development, Marketing, and Sales Management for a Fortune 500 company with extensive marketing and business experience helping companies create and communicate an executable vision, set strategic direction, motivate teams and deliver results.
With a background in Product Development Engineering, Carl holds 9 patents in the telecommunications space, most related to fiber technology. He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University.
Colby Wells - Panelist
Colby Wells
CEO, South Central Electric Cooperative
Colby Wells started his career at South Central, in January 2006. Colby’s first eight years were spent as a lineman and substation tech. Colby was promoted to Operations Supervisor in 2014 and promoted again to Operations Manager in 2017. As Operations Manager, Colby managed the operations for electric and broadband. Colby’s last promotion in May of 2020, was to Chief Executive Officer, for both South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative and subsidiary South Central Connect. Colby and wife Terri have one child, Kinzley Kate. The three spend most free time horseback riding, duck hunting, or out on the lake.
Patrick Grace - Panelist
Patrick Grace
CEO, Oklahoma Electric Cooperative
Patrick has been with Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) since graduating college in 2000. His career began in the Engineering Department at OEC, conducting load and line studies, long-range electric system plans as well as financial analysis and rate design. As Patrick’s career progressed, he has transitioned into management and leadership roles being named Vice-President of Engineering in 2006 and named CEO & General Manager in January 2016.
Under Patrick’s leadership in 2017, OEC launched OEC Fiber, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OEC dedicated to bringing high-speed “true-broadband” and other telecommunication services to OEC members. The initial focus is primarily on the underserved rural areas in Cleveland, McClain and Grady counties. Patrick serves as the Chairman of the OEC Fiber Board which oversees the $150 million-dollar fiber expansion project.
Recognized as a leading young professional, Patrick received the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 2007 Distinguished Young Alumni award, the Norman NEXT 2011 Next Under 40 award, 2007 the Journal Record's 2012 Achievers Under 40 award, the University of Oklahoma Recent Alumni Award of Distinction in 2014, the University of Oklahoma Michael F. Price College of Business Magazine 40 Under 40 award in 2017 and the Journal Record 2021 Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEOs.
Patrick, a Norman native, went out of state to college to play small college basketball, but returned home upon graduation to Norman to marry his high school sweetheart Kelley in 2000. They currently reside in Norman with their son, Jennings, born in May of 2014. Patrick enjoys being active by participating in CrossFit with his wife and has completed 3 marathons and a half-Ironman triathlon.
Aaron Bradshaw - Panelist
Aaron Bradshaw
CEO/General Manager, Co-Mo Electric Cooperative
Aaron earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi in 1995. Since that time, he has graduated from the NRECA Management Internship Program (MIP) and earned his Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Renewable Energy Professional (REP) designations from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).
Aaron has over 20 years experience working with electric cooperatives in Florida and Missouri. The last eight years have been spent as CEO, first of Intercounty Electric Cooperative and then of Co-Mo Connect, Powered by Co-Mo Electric Cooperative. Among other accomplishments, Aaron has overseen disaster response after a large hurricane, established the first pre-paid metering rate approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, and refinanced and restructured debt to save members millions.
Most recently, at Co-Mo, Aaron has unified an electric cooperative and broadband company under a single branding umbrella and transitioned the organization as a whole, from a startup company to a sustainable growth company. The organization continues to expand its broadband footprint through partnerships with neighboring cooperatives and grant funded construction in underserved communities.
Aaron lives in California, MO.
Session 5 – Building Blocks of Construction Management Success
Randy Klindt - Moderator
Randy Klindt
Partner, Conexon
Conexon Founding Partner Randy Klindt is a pioneer of the electric cooperative broadband movement, widely credited with architecting the most cost-efficient fiber-to-the-home design in use by electric co-ops today. With over 20 years of hands-on cooperative operational experience, Randy conceptualized, built and operated the nation’s first privately funded electric cooperative fiber network, Co-Mo Connect in Missouri, as well as the nation’s largest electric cooperative fiber network, OzarksGo in Arkansas.
Randy’s unwavering vision that fiber broadband is possible for all rural Americans continues to change the telecommunications industry landscape. In 2015, while the General Manager of Co-Mo Connect, Randy formed Conexon to support rural electric cooperatives by providing end-to-end FTTH project solutions. Today, Conexon’s mission and methodology are broadly considered the defining standard of rural electric co-op fiber networks.
Since its beginning, Conexon has worked with over 200 electric cooperatives, designed over 200,000 miles of fiber networks, managed tens of thousands of miles of fiber construction, and connected nearly 500,000 rural Americans to world-class fiber broadband.
In 2021, Conexon launched its internet service provider entity, Conexon Connect, another of Randy’s visions to change the face of rural internet with an innovative solution to operate and manage cooperative and investor-owned fiber networks.
Jeff Fincannon - Panelist
Jeff Fincannon
SVP OSP Construction, Conexon
Jeff brings more than 40 years of hands-on construction experience and management of cable and fiber to the home deployments. His construction experience includes work as a lineman, splicer, supervisor and business owner. Most recently at Conexon, Jeff has launched the company’s splicing division, offering client and partner cooperatives access to best-in-class construction and fiber splicing practices and expertise.
Throughout his career, Jeff has managed large-scale cable and fiber construction projects across the country with multiple employees, contractors, and crews for Comcast, Charter, Time Warner and, since 2016, for Conexon.
Currently, Jeff manages the team at Conexon responsible for fiber design and construction at over 30 electric co-op projects in more than a dozen states. Each project is set at a pace of 1,000 miles of construction a year. Week in and week out, Jeff’s team produces more miles of fiber design and manages more miles of fiber construction than any company in the country.
Gary Wood - Panelist
Gary Wood
President/CEO, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative and Firefly Fiber
Gary Wood has been with Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) since 1991, serving as Planning Engineering Manager and Vice President of Engineering and Operations before being promoted to President and CEO in 2008. CVEC serves almost 37,000 accounts in a service area that covers the area from Charlottesville down to Lynchburg along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains and eastward to within 30 miles of downtown Richmond.
Gary is also President and CEO of Firefly Fiber Broadband, a wholly owned subsidiary of CVEC that provides broadband internet and voice over IP services over a fiber network owned by CVEC.
Gary earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia and a Masters in Business Administration from Auburn University. He attended the NRECA Management Internship Program.
Gary is a director on the Virginia Maryland Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. He previously served as a board member on the Blue Ridge Power Agency board.
Prior to his role as CEO, Gary served two terms on the Nelson County Board of Supervisors, including serving as chair for two years. He has also served on the Nelson County School Board and the Piedmont Virginia Community College Foundation Board. He has served in many local community organizations including youth sports and educational support committees.
Gary and his wife, Deborah Harvey, have two children.
Hunter Robinson - Panelist
Hunter Robinson
CEO, Central Rural Electric Cooperative
Hunter Robinson is the CEO of Central Rural Electric Cooperative and Centranet L.L.C. based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Hunter has more than 20 years of utility industry experience, with expertise in construction, maintenance, system technology and engineering. He began his career in the right-of-way program before transferring to the line department and ultimately working his way up through the organization to Vice President of Operations, which included the oversight of subsidiary operations, before being named CEO in 2019. Robinson is currently the chair of the Oklahoma Cooperative Broadband Coalition.
Keith Hayward - Panelist
Keith Hayward
GM/CEO, North East Mississippi EPA
Keith Hayward is the CEO of North East Mississippi Electric Power Association located in Oxford, Mississippi. A lifelong resident of Oxford, he received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Mississippi in 1987 and joined North East the following year as an Engineer and Assistant to the General Manager.
He was promoted to Manager of Operations at the age of 27 and was soon in charge of overseeing restoration from the largest disaster ever to strike North Mississippi, the 1994 Ice Storm. In 2006, Keith was promoted to Manager of Engineering, Operation and IT where he spearheaded the early adoption of many new technologies being offered to cooperatives.
Session 6 – Crystal-Clear Solutions to Navigating Regulatory and Voice Challenges
Terie Hannay - Moderator
Terie Hannay
SVP Telecommunications Services, Conexon
Terie Hannay offers more than 20 years of operational experience and expertise in deploying communications technologies including residential, commercial VoIP, and broadband services, as well as regulatory, billing, taxing, business procedures, business processes and provisioning integration.
Terie began her career in telecommunications operations at one of the nation’s early competitive local exchange carriers (CLEC), serving more than one million customers before moving into a customer care leadership role with a top-tier cable provider.
Terie puts her years of experience to work leading Conexon’s telecommunications service and support strategy. She upholds an exceptional reputation among co-ops for her ability to successfully incorporate telecommunications services in their network offerings, with unrivaled expertise analyzing the profitability of voice service for Conexon Connect co-op partners. She also serves as a regulatory, billing and business process support resource to the company’s electric co-op clients.
Loyd Rice - Panelist
Loyd Rice
Manager of Fiber Services, SEMO Electric Cooperative
As Manager of Fiber Services for GoSEMO Fiber (fiber subsidiary of SEMO Electric Cooperative), Loyd uses his unique cooperative background and sales experiences to help promote, coach, and lead his teammates in their fiber journey. A cooperative background as electric lineman, line supervisor, staking engineer, key accounts manager and sporting goods sales, coupled with his past as an NCAA Men’s Basketball Official, provide background that allows him to navigate the very fluid atmosphere that is electric cooperative fiber subsidiaries. Being mindful of the cooperative bottom line, while still nimble and willing to move, at the same time maintaining your “Why” in this exciting opportunity that is closing the digital divide for rural America makes this the most exciting time in our industry since the buildouts of the ’40s and ’50s. “Making Lives Better is our mission, and getting a chance to share into a bigger national plan that is changing rural America makes for a great work
Dion Cooper - Panelist
Dion Cooper
President & CEO, Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative
Prior to being named CEO of Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative in January of 2021, Dion served as the Vice President of Information Technology, Communications & Cooperative Services at Southwest for three years. He has nearly 30 years of IT, Telecom and Operations experience with 15+ years of electric cooperative experience combined with 14+ years of experience in manufacturing and engineering services. Cooper’s previously held positions include; Engineering Manager, Project Manager and IT Manager.
Currently Dion serves as the Chairman of the NRECA Analytics, Resiliency and Reliability Member Advisory Group (ARRMAG) of the Business and Technology Strategies (BTS) department. He also serves on the NRECA Strategic Technology Advisory Council (STAC) as well. Additionally, he serves on the NISC Customer Care & Billing (CC&B) Member Advisory Group and participates in various activities with national organizations like Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). He serves on the Board of Directors for Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC) and Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Incorporated (AECI).
Dion holds a Masters of Business Administration Degree, a Bachelor of Science Degree – Information Technology, an Associate of Applied Science Degree – Mechanical Engineering, and an Associate of Applied Science Degree – CAD/CAM Technology. He successfully completed the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation’s Certified Financial Professional Certificate (CFPC) program, and the NRECA Management Internship Program (MIP).
Jim Vaden - Panelist
Jim Vaden
Network Engineer, Forked Deer Electric Cooperative
Jim took the road less-traveled obtaining his Bachelor at the University of Memphis some 20 years after he began his understudies at then-Memphis State University. After first majoring in Final Fours and all-things Tigers athletics, he settled on his Information Technology degree in 2004 in addition to an Associates in Management Information Systems along the way at Dyersburg State Community College.
Following 18 years in healthcare IT administration, Jim transitioned into the world of utilities with Forked Deer Electric Cooperative and fiber broadband at Forked Deer Connect in February 2019. Before the first subscriber was ever activated, Jim helped engineer the new systems serving the Forked Deer customer base’s internet and voice services. It was the latter offering that unexpectedly brought Jim into the regulatory world and, like most others new to the game, is still learning the ins-and-outs even today.
Randall Abel - Panelist
Randall Abel
Manager of Engineering and Operations, North East Mississippi Electric Power Association
Randall Abel is COO of North East Fiber, LLC and Manager Engineering & Operations, North East MS EPA.
As COO for NE SPARC, NE Fiber LLC’s official advertising name, Randall has successfully led the $48M build out of the fiber project with over 1,200 lit fiber miles within the first year. SPARC has already passed 20,000 homes with 5,500 active customers on-line. The entire 1,500 mile designed build-out of the project was expected to take between 36-40 months but through a concerted effort from NE SPARC team members, Conexon, NE Contractors and with Randall’s leadership the project is expected to be completed in less than 24 months.
Randall’s career includes 17 years with NE MS EPA in Engineering and Operations. His passion throughout his career has been project design and management and leveraging technology to solve on-going or historical problems.
Prior to joining North East, Randall spent over 14 years with International Paper in Project Engineering, Design Engineering, and Maintenance Engineering. There he managed many large scale capital improvement projects as well as serving as Maintenance Foreman and Planner for two large paper machines.
Randall earned a B.S.E.E. from the University of Mississippi in 1990.
Session 7 – Fiber Operations A to Z: The Roles of Network Engineering and Technical Support
Andy Burger - Moderator
Andy Burger
SVP Operations, Conexon
Andy Burger offers unmatched operational expertise in the rural broadband market with experience that extends from project launch through deployment and post-install customer experience. Andy’s fiber-to-the-home career began at Missouri’s Co-Mo Connect as the cooperative’s first outside hire, initially serving as the Network Administrator and Network Operations Manager to oversee network design, architecture, and operations for the co-op’s Internet, Voice and IPTV networks.
In December 2015, Andy took over as the General Manager of Co-Mo Connect, responsible for all aspects of deployment and operations including outside plant, marketing, and customer service, as well as a continuing critical role with the network architecture and performance. Under Andy’s leadership, Co-Mo became the first electric cooperative in the country to make gigabit fiber-to-the-home service available to every one of its members and to do so without government subsidies or grants.
From Co-Mo Connect, Andy joined Conexon, where he established its industry-leading Network Operations Center and call center to serve Conexon’s electric co-op clients. He works with co-ops on their SCADA and smart grid systems. In 2021, he oversaw the creation and launch of Conexon’s internet service provider arm, Conexon Connect. Awarded substantial funding through the RDOF Phase I auction, Conexon Connect intends to with dozens of electric co-op territories throughout 10 states to deliver broadband service to their territories, reaching more than 2 million rural Americans upon completion.
Prior to entering the electric cooperative fiber broadband industry, Andy served in technology roles within the banking and government sectors.
Sean Vanslyke - Panelist
Sean Vanslyke
CEO/General Manager, SEMO Electric Cooperative
Sean Vanslyke is CEO and Head Coach of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber. He guides people, leaders and teams because he loves to see people do things they never thought was possible! Sean holds a bachelor’s from Missouri Southern State University and a master’s from the University of Illinois/Springfield. He is a graduate of NRECA’s Robert I. Kabat Management Internship Program. Sean is the president of the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives, board director for the Energy Education Council (SafeElectricity.org), serves on the advisory committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and is a past board member of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Sean is founder of The Friday Feature, which is a weekly video booster to keep people pushing forward. More importantly, Sean is a dad and a grandpa.
Barret Ewing - Panelist
Barret Ewing
Director of Network Engineering and Operations, Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative
Barret Ewing is the Director of Engineering and Operations at Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative, where he is responsible for directing the engineering, construction, operations and maintenance functions of AVECC’s electric distribution and fiber smart-grid communication system. Barret came to AVECC with more than 12 years of experience managing a research and development team designing innovative devices for people with severe disabilities. He has experience in project management, electronic and mechanical design, software development, and communication design. He is a graduate from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
David Girvan - Panelist
David Girvan
VP Operations, Conexon Connect
David Girvan joined Conexon from one of the nation’s most successful electric cooperatives, United Electric, where he served as Chief Operating Officer. Though United’s electric service territory encompasses an area with less than 3 electric meters per mile, David launched a fiber network and led the co-op to success with a focus on the aggressive deployment of commercial and residential fiber services. Under his leadership, the fiber business grew from a 7,000-member cooperative to one now serving more than 17,000 members and customers with fiber broadband subsidizing the electric operation.
In his Operations role for internet service provider arm Conexon Connect, David looks forward to being able to continue to build and operate state-of-the-art fiber networks. He joined Conexon for the opportunity to reach rural America with broadband services better than those often found in urban centers.
Prior to working in the electric cooperative industry, David was an information technology professional. During his almost two decades working with information technology, he has worked in many different roles including systems engineering, supervisory roles, software packaging and infrastructure builds. With significant international exposure, his career has been filled with project-based assignments for large companies such as IBM, HP and other industry leaders.
David holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Technology from Northwest Missouri State University and recently completed his MIP Select certification from NRECA.
Session 8 – Marketing Works! Proven Co-op Strategies from Greenfield to Mature
Abby Carere - Moderator
Abby Carere
SVP Sales, Marketing, and Account Management
As a sales executive for a major telecommunications provider, Abby Carere was among the first in the industry to recognize the broadband potential and role of the nation’s electric cooperatives for rural America. Over the seven years in which she has worked with co-ops, she has guided dozens to successfully deploy broadband internet, voice and TV services in their markets.
Abby began her career in direct business-to-business telecom sales in one of the nation’s most competitive telecommunications markets before stepping into leadership and overseeing a direct sales team she led to top performance.
Under Abby’s sales leadership, Conexon’s client base has grown exponentially. In her dual role as head of marketing, she leveraged her years of expertise to spearhead an end-to-end marketing resource specifically designed for electric cooperatives, and the Conexon Marketing Hub proprietary software platform debuted in 2020. Abby’s visionary goal of providing all resources co-ops need for broadband marketing success now results in a full suite of services ranging from branding and web development to best-practice oriented communications, break-through creative and expert advice for electric co-ops from a team of marketing managers.
Abby was also instrumental in the development of Conexon Connect, the company’s internet service provider arm launched in 2021, and Connect co-op partnerships continue to flourish with her guidance. Under Abby’s leadership, the marketing reach of Conexon and Conexon Connect is now over half a million co-op members.
Shawn Edmondson - Panelist
Shawn Edmondson
General Manager, Natchez Trace Electric Cooperative
Shawn Edmondson’s first experience with Natchez Trace EPA (other than paying a bill!) was a summer job helping to test transformers in 1996. Shawn was hired as a System Engineer in 1998. In 2017, Shawn was promoted to replace General Manager. In 2020, the Board voted to move forward with a broadband pilot project, and Shawn was named the General Manager of fiber subsidiary NT Spark.
Kaitlyn Bonds - Panelist
Kaitlyn Bonds
Creative Director, Cumberland Connect
Kaitlyn Bonds is the Creative Director for Cumberland Connect. Kaitlyn began her career with Cumberland Connect in August of 2019. She has served in creative, marketing, sales, and social media management roles over the past years bringing knowledge and her passion for creativity, economic development, company culture, and making a difference in others’ lives to the Fiber to the Home project at Cumberland Connect. She obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with a concentration in Marketing from Austin Peay State University in 2010. Kaitlyn’s responsibilities at Cumberland Connect range from Marketing, Social Media management, Communications management, creative design, community and public relations.
Kaitlyn and her husband Ben have been married for 8 years and they have a son, Fox. She and her family call Clarksville, TN home.
Casey Logan - Panelist
Casey Logan
President & CEO, Prince George Electric Cooperative
Casey Logan joined Prince George Electric Cooperative in June 2015 as Vice President of Engineering, a position he held until becoming the President & CEO for both PGEC and its subsidiary RURALBAND in April 2019. RURALBAND is the Cooperative’s Fiber-to-the-Home broadband service.
As a child, Casey always dreamed of being a professional wrestler, but life had other plans and he became an electrical engineer instead. His career began at Nanya Plastics in Lake City, South Carolina, as an E&I supervisor. He then worked at Square D before joining South Carolina Electric and Gas, where he obtained his professional engineering license in 2010. Casey earned his B.S. in electrical engineering and M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina in 2002 and 2008, respectively.
Casey is dedicated to serving PGEC and its surrounding communities with cost-effective, reliable service as well as state-of-the-art high-speed Fiber-to-the-Home internet. He also serves on the board of Directors of the Virginia Maryland Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, The Virginia Gateway Region and is proud to be the Chairman of the newly formed, first in the nation, Virginia Maryland Delaware Association of Broadband Cooperatives.
Brandon Fisher - Panelist
Brandon Fisher
Technology and Communications Manager, Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative
Brandon Fisher is the Technology and Communications Manager at Arkansas Valley Electric. He leads a team of professionals who progressively integrate new technology into the cooperative and support the critical systems used daily. Over his 15 years at AVECC, Brandon has worked as a GIS Technician in both the Engineering and IT departments. He spent three years as the GIS Coordinator before becoming the IT/GIS manager in 2016 and the Technology and Communications Manager in 2018. He has been a part of many innovative projects that have reshaped the cooperative technologically, such as the implementation of drones and mobile devices used for daily operational functions and a companywide move to cloud-based technologies. Brandon earned his Associate of Applied Science in Geographical Information Systems at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith.
Session 9 – The Path to the 20K Club: Best Practices from Co-ops with 20,000+ Subscribers
Randy Klindt - Moderator
Randy Klindt
Partner, Conexon
Conexon Founding Partner Randy Klindt is a pioneer of the electric cooperative broadband movement, widely credited with architecting the most cost-efficient fiber-to-the-home design in use by electric co-ops today. With over 20 years of hands-on cooperative operational experience, Randy conceptualized, built and operated the nation’s first privately funded electric cooperative fiber network, Co-Mo Connect in Missouri, as well as the nation’s largest electric cooperative fiber network, OzarksGo in Arkansas.
Randy’s unwavering vision that fiber broadband is possible for all rural Americans continues to change the telecommunications industry landscape. In 2015, while the General Manager of Co-Mo Connect, Randy formed Conexon to support rural electric cooperatives by providing end-to-end FTTH project solutions. Today, Conexon’s mission and methodology are broadly considered the defining standard of rural electric co-op fiber networks.
Since its beginning, Conexon has worked with over 200 electric cooperatives, designed over 200,000 miles of fiber networks, managed tens of thousands of miles of fiber construction, and connected nearly 500,000 rural Americans to world-class fiber broadband.
In 2021, Conexon launched its internet service provider entity, Conexon Connect, another of Randy’s visions to change the face of rural internet with an innovative solution to operate and manage cooperative and investor-owned fiber networks.
David Goodspeed - Panelist
David Goodspeed
President, OEC Fiber (Oklahoma Electric Cooperative)
As President of OEC Fiber, David is a pioneer in leading the efforts to bring a true fiber to the home & business internet service and more to OEC members and non-members who are lacking high quality and reliable access to broadband in the service territory of OEC (Oklahoma Electric Cooperative).
OEC Fiber is one of the fastest growing fiber to the home & business subscriber companies in the country. With a plan initially set out of 5-7 years to build the network system and connect subscribers along the way under David's leadership the system build will be completed in 4 years while at the same time passing all 60,000 OEC members while connecting non-OEC members in a very strategic off system build.
David leads a highly skilled team in all aspects of OEC Fiber and spends quite a bit of time in the details with each team member to ensure that all aspects of OEC Fiber are up to the expectations of our subscribers to ensure that a high level of service and transparency is being delivered.
David has a vast background in big box retail, airport retail, serving as an Associate Vice President at the University of Oklahoma and also held a Regional Manager role with Apple Computers. Additionally, David serves in a dual role at OEC as the Vice President of Technology Services at OEC (Oklahoma Electric Cooperative). In this role David has been given the task of working with OEC to ensure that the investment by OEC in their fiber network & their technology posture delivers a highly reliable and safe delivery of electricity to its members that OEC serves.
David is married to one of his biggest supporters Jenny Goodspeed, has a 19-year-old daughter Rylee Goodspeed and juggles all this while raising a very temperamental 7 year old rescued Basset Hound named Boone that he adores.
Mitchell Johnson - Panelist
Mitchell Johnson
President & CEO, Ozarks Electric Cooperative
Mr. Johnson is a thirty-year veteran of the electric utility industry. He serves as President/CEO of an 81,000-meter electric cooperative as well as CEO of OzarksGo, a subsidiary providing fiber to the home services to over 26,000 customers. He is a managing member of Diamond State Networks.
Mr. Johnson currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, KAMO Power, and Today’s Power as well as Springdale ARVEST Bank, Northwest Health Systems, and the NWA Airport Authority.
Mr. Johnson graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a native of Springdale, Arkansas.
Aaron Bradshaw - Panelist
Aaron Bradshaw
CEO/General Manager, Co-Mo Electric Cooperative
Aaron earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi in 1995. Since that time, he has graduated from the NRECA Management Internship Program (MIP) and earned his Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Renewable Energy Professional (REP) designations from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).
Aaron has over 20 years experience working with electric cooperatives in Florida and Missouri. The last eight years have been spent as CEO, first of Intercounty Electric Cooperative and then of Co-Mo Connect, Powered by Co-Mo Electric Cooperative. Among other accomplishments, Aaron has overseen disaster response after a large hurricane, established the first pre-paid metering rate approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, and refinanced and restructured debt to save members millions.
Most recently, at Co-Mo, Aaron has unified an electric cooperative and broadband company under a single branding umbrella and transitioned the organization as a whole, from a startup company to a sustainable growth company. The organization continues to expand its broadband footprint through partnerships with neighboring cooperatives and grant funded construction in underserved communities.
Aaron lives in California, MO.
Jim Bagley - Panelist
Jim Bagley
CEO, United Electric Cooperative
Jim Bagley is the CEO of United Electric Cooperative, Inc and United Fiber located in northwest Missouri. He has previously worked at Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative and served as CEO of Glidden REC and Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative. Jim is a veteran of the US Navy, serving on a nuclear-powered submarine and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and a Master’s in Business Administration (Business Strategy Emphasis) from Drury University in Springfield, MO.
United Electric serves 10,000 meters in northwest Missouri and southwest Iowa. United Fiber currently serves over 20,000 customers with broadband internet via fiber-optic service. Customers also have the option of receiving phone and TV service as well. United Fiber adds 400-500 services a month. United’s fiber subsidiary brings in more revenue and margins than the Electric portion of the business.
