Jimmy Todd is the CEO & General Manager for Nex-Tech, a rural cooperative communications company, based in Lenora, Kansas. He is overall responsible to strategically lead growth, innovation, and diversity. Nex-Tech was the first company in the nation to bring FTTH technology to a community and an entire telecom exchange. Today, its broadband service area is primarily fiber-optic covering approximately 10,000 square miles across Northwest and Central Kansas.

Including his military service and telecom roots originating in field service installation, Jimmy has served the communications industry for more than 35 years gaining extensive knowledge and experience in technical, operational, and managerial aspects. Rising thru the ranks, he held supervisory positions in Field Services and Network Operations at two companies in Oregon; was President for Malheur Bell, also in Oregon; and was the President/GM for MTC in Kansas. While at MTC, Jimmy was involved in the creation of the Kansas Fiber Network organization, a statewide fiber network, and he still serves on the Board today.

Jimmy has been active for many years in advocacy for fiber broadband at the State and National levels serving as a board/committee member and holding officer positions for organizations such as WTA, NTCA, and NRTC. In December 2021, he was appointed to a two-year term to serve on the FCC’s Task Force for Reviewing Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States. Prior to this appointment, he served two years as a Working Group Committee member for the Task Force.

Joseph Jones has spent his entire career in the telecommunications industry which has spanned over twenty-five years. JJ has vast experience from field installation services, quality assurance functions, administration roles, to operations which includes over twenty various cable and fiber broadband start-ups nationwide and direct involvement developing operational and customer service strategies that help define On Trac, Inc. in an increasingly competitive market. JJ’s previous role as Executive Vice President had him overseeing daily company operations with a focus on company strategy, profitability, and customer relationships.

Along with his responsibilities at On Trac, Inc., he gives countless volunteer hours to the Fiber Broadband Association. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, JJ has served and chaired various committees for the past 13 years including being the Fiber Connect Conference Chairman for seven consecutive years where he oversees the Fiber Connect Conference which is the industry’s leading all fiber conference. JJ is a two-time recipient (2010 & 2020) of the Photon Award which recognizes a Fiber Broadband Association member who, through their volunteer contribution, has demonstrated a high level of dedication to the organization and contribution to the industry.

Fiber Broadband Association believes the world is a better place when women’s voices are heard. We believe companies are more successful when women are encouraged and rewarded to reach their full potential. We believe it is up to us to help identify, develop, and promote women in the Fiber Broadband industry as well as technology, telecommunications, construction and manufacturing. We pledge to use this forum to help women succeed in the Fiber Broadband industry.

Value Proposition

To the FBA and the Industry

• Demonstrate the verifiable link between women in leadership and improved business performance. Identify our own potential leaders.
• Represent women in fields where women are not often well-represented.
• Highlight different career paths for women within fiber, telecommunications and technology.
• Identify challenges particular to women in the workforce in these industries and possible solutions.

To The Member Companies and Individual Members

• Networking: Provide opportunities for connections, networking, and building relationships with other women in fiber of all areas and experience.
• Professional Development & Leadership: Deliver professional development and leadership opportunities. Emphasize pathways for success and advancement.
• Workplace Education: Identify relevant everyday workplace issues for discussion and education. Learn to navigate challenges, varied situations, and problem solving. Find solutions.
• Recognition: Create opportunities to recognize different career paths held by women in fiber. Highlight those who demonstrate dedication and hard work within the field, the leadership of industry veterans, the talent and potential of developing leaders, and the stories that inspire us.

Women in Fiber Committee Leadership, Working Groups, and Meetings

Our leadership team is led by Candy Riem, VP of Marketing & Customer Solutions at Midwest Energy & Communications. Ashley Brown, Senior Director of Field Marketing at Adtran, serves as the FBA Board Liaison.

Supporting Candy are our are Co-Chair, Martha Galley, Chief Sustainability Officer of Calix and Vice Chair, Holly Ruser, Manager of Comm Data Business at Graybar. Together, they collaborate closely with the co-chairs of our five subcommittees.

Diane Garcia, ITA, serves as our Communications Assistant, further strengthening our team.

We are dedicated to advancing the role of women in the fiber industry and look forward to your involvement and support.

The Women in Fiber Committee webinars occur bi-monthly on the third Wednesday at 12 PM Eastern.

Committee members are invited to participate in the following working groups:

• Events
• Professional Development & Mentorship
• Social Media & Marketing
• STEM Promotion for Women & Girls
• Recognition

Each working group has separate monthly meetings. More information will come from these working groups – stay tuned!

FBA member company employees and FBA Woman in Fiber members may join the Women in Fiber Committee. Individuals may participate in organized activities and/or general committee meetings, and there is no requirement to join a working group in order to be a member of the overall Women in Fiber committee.

Women in Fiber Spotlights

Nominate a Committee Member for a Spotlight by Clicking Here. 

Women in Fiber Mentorship Program

FBA member company employees may participate in the Women in Fiber Mentorship Program. Mentors and mentees are accepted on a rolling basis. Please click here to sign up. Women in Fiber Committee members will follow up with you on the next steps.

Women in Fiber Mentorship

Apply to Volunteer as a Women in Fiber Regional Ambassador 

The Women in Fiber Committee is looking for Regional Ambassadors Volunteers. These individuals would help identify members who would like to participate in any of the other WiF Working Groups and coordinate with the Events Working Group to promote Meet Ups at regional FBA events. This role was created to expand membership and engagement at the regional level.

Please contact Kim Rickard with any questions or to inquire about FBA membership status.

The Fiber Broadband Association’s Fiber Certification recognizes members for their commitment to ensuring customers receive the fastest, most reliable broadband services—connectivity delivered over “future-proof” fiber networks.

Why become a certified fiber network operator?

Consumers and businesses everywhere are clamoring for the fastest, most reliable broadband service. Fiber broadband is the proven gold standard. This certification program is designed to help our fiber network operator members highlight the critical work they are doing to bring all fiber connectivity to those they serve. It’s a way to identify those who are truly bringing the best to their communities.

Is my network eligible?

To be eligible for All Fiber Certification, network operators must be a member of the Fiber Broadband Association and must have marketed fiber networks to 90% or more of customers in a community or territory, delivered either through PON or Active Ethernet, and exhibited a high-level strategic commitment to all fiber deployment. If a network operator member has not marketed 90%, but has marketed to at least 70% of customers, they are eligible for a Fiber Certification.

“Strategic Commitment” is defined as the ratio of the total number of residential households to which fiber services are marketed divided by total residential households to which services are marketed, all within the operator’s entire local access network. Ex: if you market fiber to 90,000 households within a 100,000 household network, you are qualified to be All Fiber.

Apply for Certification

Once your application is accepted and eligibility confirmed. FBA will contact you with your  All-Fiber Nework Operator Certificate, badge logo, and media kit.

If you are already an All-Fiber Certified Network Operator, please contact member services at membership@fiberbroadband.org.

Meet our Certified Network Operators!

Alpine Communications

Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation

Bridgenet Communications

Burlington Telecom

CDE Lightband

Centranet

Certto Telecom

Choptank Fiber

connectSCP by South Central Power

CTC

Dalton Utilities

DFN

East Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority

Empower

Fidium

Holland Board of Public Works

Huxley Communications

KWIKOM Communications

Lumos

LUS Fiber

Maryland Broadband Cooperative, Inc.

Massillon Cable TV

MAW Communications Inc.

Midwest Energy & Communications

MTC

New Hope Telephone Cooperative

Northland Communications

Omni Fiber

Point Broadband

Rainbow Communications

South Hadley Electric Light Department

Sprout Fiber Internet

Summit Broadband

ThinkBig Networks

Utilities Board City of Sylacauga

Velocity Net Communications

West Wisconsin Telcom Cooperative

Wilkes Communications RiverStreet Networks

Associate Membership

Our Associate Members are engaged in support industries related to fiber deployment. Associate membership is open to: non-profit organizations, post-secondary educational or philanthropic public institutions, small consulting firms, and other professional service businesses (typically under 20 employees), and federally recognized tribes within the United States. These professional service categories include legal, finance, insurance, advertising/marketing, graphic design, ad/media buying, sole consultancies, and others similar in scope.

Benefits

• FBA Event Registration Discounts – Reduced registration for all in-person FBA events including Fiber Connect, the largest all-fiber event featuring top industry expert speakers, inspiring keynotes, in-depth training sessions, and peer networking. 
• Collaboration 24/7 via our virtual FBA Community Platform – a designated FBA Members Channel for posting educational content 
• Participation and learning through our nearly 20 committees and working groups 
• Access to FBA Member Directory for networking and client/partner development 
• Our extensive resource library, composed of exclusive industry research, case studies, webinar recordings, and much more 
• Submit company news to be featured in our Fiber Forward Weekly e-newsletter 
• Invitations to special exclusive, complimentary FBA member events and meet-ups 
• Learn and participate in ongoing federal and state advocacy  
•  Post position openings on FBA Job Board  
• Option with preferred pricing to bundle OpTIC Path licensing with membership for your organization’s training needs for staff, contractors, subcontractors and other partners or businesses in the communities you operate in 
• Discounted rates on CFHP & OHP Certification Exams 
• Paid marketing opportunities with special member rates 

Note: Associate members do not have voting privileges. The Premier membership level allows for voting for the Board of Directors and additions or amendments to the association bylaws. 

Pricing

For all membership-related questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Member Services.

Driving the Future of Fiber

Premier Members are recognized leaders in the fiber broadband industry and play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the Fiber Broadband Association. As a Premier Member, you’re invited to take part in high-level discussions that influence the industry’s trajectory. The Association’s Board of Directors actively seeks input from Premier Members throughout the year, culminating in a focused two-day strategic planning session each fourth quarter. This exclusive level of engagement is reserved for Premier Members, who alone hold the privilege of serving on—and voting for—the Board of Directors.

Premier Member Meeting 2025

Benefits

• Annual Premier Member Meeting – The Association’s Board of Directors and its president rely heavily on the advice and counsel of Premier Members throughout the year, which culminates in an intensive two-day strategic planning session during the fourth quarter of each year at the annual Premier Members Meeting. 
• Fiber Connect C-Suite Forum – Special Recognition at Fiber Connect and an invitation to The C-Suite Forum 
• Board of Directors Elections – Board elections are held at the annual Premier Members Meeting, and only Premier Members can serve on and vote for the Board of Directors. The Fiber Broadband Association is governed by a ten-member Board of Directors, elected on a rotating basis for three-year terms, from the ranks of Premier Members. 
• Complimentary Webinar – Premier Members receive one complimentary webinar presentation each membership cycle, marketed and hosted by FBA. Presenting webinars is an excellent way to reach your customers and audience in an educational and informative platform where your company is presented as an industry leader and expert. 

Pricing

Note: Upgrades to the Premier membership level from standard network operator, standard vendor, and associate membership are possible mid-cycle. Please contact the FBA Membership Team to discuss this option.  

Hear from Our Members!

Premier Member Spotlight - CBS Oregon - DirectLink

Premier Member Spotlight - MaxxSouth

Premier Member Spotlight - Talley, A Division of Rexel Canada Electrical Inc

Premier Member Spotlight - Kaptivate LLC

Premier Member Spotlight - Altice USA

Premier Member Spotlight - Vantage Point Solutions

Premier Member Spotlight Ready net

Premier Member Spotlight - Prysmian Group

Premier Member Spotlight - IMMCO, INC

For all membership-related questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Member Services.

Join the Leading Voice for Fiber Broadband in the Americas

As the only all-fiber trade association serving the Americas, the Fiber Broadband Association invites vendors who support network operators and the broader fiber ecosystem to become members. By joining, your company aligns with industry leaders driving the deployment of next-generation infrastructure—and earns a front-row seat in shaping the connected future.

If your company manufactures, distributes, or sells the products and services that support all-fiber networks and/or you provide engineering services, network design, project management, construction, software, analytics, or a similar scope, join us as a vendor or service provider member!

Note: Membership is by company, and all employees under an organization can benefit. 

Benefits

• FBA Event Registration Discounts – Reduced registration for all in-person FBA events including Fiber Connect, the largest all-fiber event featuring top industry expert speakers, inspiring keynotes, in-depth training sessions, and peer networking. 
• Collaboration 24/7 via our virtual FBA Community Platform – a designated FBA Members Channel for posting educational content 
• Participation and learning through our nearly 20 committees and working groups 
• Access to FBA Member Directory for networking and client/partner development 
• Our extensive resource library, composed of exclusive industry research, case studies, webinar recordings, and much more 
• Submit company news to be featured in our Fiber Forward Weekly e-newsletter 
• Invitations to special exclusive, complimentary FBA member events and meet-ups 
• Learn and participate in ongoing federal and state advocacy  
•  Post position openings on FBA Job Board  
• Option with preferred pricing to bundle OpTIC Path licensing with membership for your organization’s training needs for staff, contractors, subcontractors and other partners or businesses in the communities you operate in 
• Discounted rates on CFHP & OHP Certification Exams 
• Paid marketing opportunities with special member rates 

Note:  Standard Vendor members do not have voting privileges. The Premier membership level allows for voting for the Board of Directors and additions or amendments to the association bylaws.  

Pricing

*Vendor members provide one or more of the following: manufacturing, distribution, represent manufacturers, hardware and accessories, software solutions, engineering services, network design, planning, field work and maintenance, data analytics, construction, call center/BPO, contract negotiation, product design, operational support services and other services for ISPs. Others similar in scope will also be placed in this membership category. 

Note on Subsidiaries: FBA requires separate memberships as subsidiaries are separate entities with unique business models, differentiated markets, staff, brands, websites, email domains, campaigns, and products/services. This ensures fairness for all FBA member companies and guarantees the appropriate corporate exposure within the FBA membership, along with access to member rates for events, exhibiting, sponsorships, and paid marketing opportunities.

For all membership-related questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Member Services.

The Fiber Broadband Association connects companies, organizations, policymakers, and communities that are building better, faster future-proof fiber networks. We use our collective voice and experience to further all-fiber networks by demonstrating their value to the economy and consumers.

If you are a company, municipality, or organization that provides and bills for broadband access to consumers or businesses, join us as a network operator member!

Note:  Membership is by organization and all employees under an organization can benefit!

Benefits

• FBA Event Registration Discounts – Reduced registration cost for all in-person FBA events including Fiber Connect, the largest all-fiber event featuring top industry expert speakers, inspiring keynotes, in-depth training sessions, and peer networking. 
• Collaboration 24/7 via our virtual FBA Community Platform – a designated FBA Members Channel 
• Participation and learning through our nearly 20 committees and working groups 
• Plug into ongoing federal and state advocacy and share your voice and experiences 
• Our extensive resource library, composed of exclusive industry research, case studies, webinar recordings, and much more 
• Submit company news to be featured in our Fiber Forward Weekly e-newsletter 
• Access to the FBA Member Directory for networking and partnership development 
• Invitations to exclusive FBA member complimentary events and meet-ups 
• Consideration for thought leadership and speaking opportunities 
• Access to  Fiber Finder geospatial business planning tool 
• Post position openings on The Fiber Job Zone and RFPs on FBA’s website 
• Option with preferred pricing to bundle OpTIC Path licensing with membership for your organization’s training needs for both in-house and field staff 
• Discounted rates on CFHP & OHP Certification Exams 

Note:  Standard Network Operator members do not have voting privileges. The Premier membership level allows for voting for the Board of Directors and additions or amendments to the association bylaws.  

Pricing

*Network operator members consist of tier 1, 2 and 3 ISPs, municipalities, telcos, electric co-ops, power utility companies, cable operators, middle-mile operators, and data centers. The latter two fall under the highest tier of standard network operator membership.  

For all membership-related questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Member Services.