Nominee Questionnaire

Please provide a short bio for voters to get to know you. 

I bring more than four decades of telecommunications experience, beginning as a field technician and advancing through leadership roles in outside plant construction, OSP/ISP engineering, technical support, OSS project management and fiber network planning. Over the past 12 years, I have led major improvements to TDS Telecom’s FTTX network designs and hold five patents for innovative OSP processes. This combination of hands-on field experience, technical expertise and strategic leadership gives me a comprehensive perspective on building faster, more efficient and cost-effective fiber networks.

Please summarize why you consider yourself an excellent candidate for the FBA Board of Directors? 

For the past 15 years, I have dedicated my career to designing and deploying fiber networks because I believe fiber is the foundation to our future. Broad access to fiber will drive innovation, connect people and ideas, and improve lives and communities. The Fiber Broadband Association has the authority, influence and expertise to lead this transformation. I welcome the opportunity to bring my experience and passion to the board, helping remove barriers to deployment, shape the industry’s direction, and expand fiber connectivity to help communities thrive.  

Describe your current position and functional responsibilities to your company. 

I currently lead network planning teams and construction project management teams. My planning responsibilities include the following: 

• Planning for new market builds which all aspects of the network plan including the fiber placement, transport design, routing infrastructure and backhaul design to support data, video and voice services.   

• Planning and design for our ILEC and cable markets to support FTTX over builds.  

• New product evaluation, selection and testing for network hardware including access, transport and routing gear. I’m not only responsible for selection but also the testing of both the hardware and software.  

• OSP new product evaluation and testing to support construction efficiency in terms of lowering cost and increasing speed  

• Network capacity management across all platforms such as access, transport, routing, core network connectivity and peering. This includes both FTTX areas and DOCSIS 

• Core network and backhaul circuit design including circuit MACD processes, budget management (~$20M yearly) and cost control.  

• Video infrastructure planning and design. 

• Critical infrastructure (power systems, batteries, generators, HVAC systems) design, engineering and installation. 

• Lead TDS’s construction project management teams who manage all TDS Telecom’s capital construction projects. This group manages timeline and costs supporting our network builds   

What was your previous position, and how long did you hold that position before transitioning to your current one? 

Previously, I was Senior Manager – Network Architecture & Integration for 3 years.

Do you have any experience as a member of a Board of Directors? If so please provide name of the entity and number of years of which you served. 

I served on the advisory board of the ISE Expo until September of 2026 when my term expired. While it isn’t a board of directors’ position, I provided similar guidance and direction to the organization.

How many years has your company been a Fiber Broadband Association Member?

TDS Telecom has been a member of FBA for more than 10 years. Knowing the importance of membership, I specifically championed our company to become a member. I also lobbied for TDS Telecom to become a premier member 4 years ago, knowing the importance of that membership level for our company. 

How many years have you participated in Fiber Broadband Association activities? 

I have attended Fiber Connect for 15+ years.  I am currently serving on the Technical Committee and have been for 8 years.  Additionally, I am a recent member of the Deployment Specialists Committee. 

Please indicate any Fiber Broadband Association Committees or working groups you have participated on including position and years served. 

For the past 8 years, I have been serving on the Technical Committee.  Additionally, I am a 2026 member of the Deployment Specialists Committee. 

Please list any Fiber Broadband Association Contributions (activities supported, assets developed, documents drafted, webinars presented, etc.) 

I have contributed technical input to several FBA papers, including the splitting architecture paper published earlier this year. While I have not maintained a complete list of those contributions, I have consistently shared my expertise to help strengthen the association’s technical resources. 

Please provide a short overview of your experience with telecommunications, fiber optics, and FTTH technologies. 

I have been in the operator space for over 40 years. I have worked on fiber projects since the early 1990’s so I have a deep knowledge of fiber access and transport systems. Over the last 10 years I have completely transformed our fiber network design approach for both urban and rural construction, lowering the cost basis by more than 30% in both cases. I have several process patents for the deployment of unbalanced optical splitting. Additionally, I have worked with OSP equipment manufacturers to create products that fit our deployment models.  Those product lines have been successful and have expanded. I am very focused on innovations that speed construction and lower the costs.

Please describe the goals you would like to accomplish during your term as Fiber Broadband Association Board Member. 

Construction is a complicated business, and my goals would focus on making that work as clear from encumbrances as possible.  Improved permitting and stricter requirements for facility locating are important issues from my perspective. Those things help the here and now.  My future view of fiber includes issues around edge computing infrastructure to support AI. I firmly believe that edge computing will extend from massive data center deployments to smaller and smaller deployments until we see it at the business or at the home. This transition will be unstoppable. Our fiber advocacy must support those use cases and ensure FBA is the leading industry voice for those future network designs.

Please describe the level of commitment (in terms of time and effort) that you intend to make to the Association during the three-year term. 

I approach service to professional organizations with genuine passion and a strong sense of responsibility. If elected, I will be fully committed throughout the three-year term and will dedicate the time, preparation and effort needed to participate actively in board meetings, committee work and Association initiatives.  

Please use this space to include any additional information you feel is important to share with voting members.   

I think that it is critical that a larger provider with a broad view of deployment in a wide variety of circumstances. My overall view is across traditional ILEC networks, MSO networks, and aggressive fiber overbuilding. That view at scale along with my experience allows me to provide a great perspective about the real-time issues affecting fiber deployments. Without cost effective construction fiber connectivity will never reach the potential that we, as a society, need.  AI support will be critical and fiber networks will be the engine to support that growth.