Fiber Broadband Association Recognizes Shirley Bloomfield with Industry Impact Award

Fiber Broadband Association Recognizes Shirley Bloomfield with Industry Impact Award 

Long-time rural broadband advocate honored at Fiber Connect 2026 

ORLANDO, FLA.—(May 19, 2026)—Today at Fiber Connect 2026, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) announced that Shirley Bloomfield, recently retired CEO of NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association, was awarded the FBA Industry Impact Award for her leadership and lasting impact on rural broadband. 

Bloomfield has served the telecommunications industry for 40 years and served as CEO of NTCA for 15 years. She is one of the industry’s most respected advocates, known for elevating the voice of rural providers, shaping national broadband policy, and guiding NTCA through a period of extraordinary growth and transformation.  

“Shirley’s work has helped secure historic broadband investment while never losing sight of the people and communities behind the networks. It is an honor to work alongside her to advance connectivity to the furthest corners of North America,” said Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. “Even in retirement, Shirley continues to mentor, advise, and strengthen the future of our industry through her leadership and commitment to service. She exemplifies ‘industry impact’ and it was an honor to present this award to her at Fiber Connect.”  

While retired from full-time association leadership, Bloomfield remains actively engaged as a trusted advisor and advocate for rural communities. Today, she serves as president of ShirleyConnected LLC, the exclusive executive search partner for NTCA, advising boards and CEOs on leadership transitions, succession planning and executive recruitment. She also serves on the board of SERC Reliability Corp., continuing her commitment to governance, reliability, and long-term infrastructure resilience with a focus on the security of the power grid.  

Learn more about Fiber Connect 2026 here or subscribe to FBA’s Fiber Forward Weekly newsletter here to stay updated.