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Daniel Romer

VP of Sales, Americas - STL

View Daniel's Nominee Video

 

 

Nominee Questionnaire

Please provide a short bio for voters to get to know you. My name is Daniel Romer and I am the VP of Sales at STL. Together with my wife and energetic two young boys I live in Columbia, SC, right in the heart of all things fiber and cable! Since joining this industry in 2014 I have been involved in selling over 1 billion dollars worth of optical fiber cable and have been working hard to help promote fiber based broadband. I personally believe that if it is not fiber, it is not broadband! The FBA promotes this like no other organization and I would love to lend my experience, time, and efforts to help the organization spread that message even wider and more effectively.
Please explain why you consider yourself an excellent candidate for the Board of Directors of the Fiber Broadband Association. I am passionate about promoting fiber based broadband to all consumers and have been working for nearly 10 years to make sure that service providers have the right products to expand and upgrades their networks as quickly as possible. I have an appetite to learn and still learn new things daily in this ever changing industry. I believe that I can be of service to the FBA by bringing a fresh perspective from a manufacturer’s point of view with direct inputs from many different customers across the market.

I will pledge my time and efforts to helping the FBA in any way needed and will spend 3 years promoting the FBA’s mission where necessary. I have spent the last 4 years of my career with STL where we have been able to fill a large void in the market that was created by a surge in demand and a broken existing supply chain that could not grow fast enough. Through agility and understanding current market needs we were able to deliver additional tens of millions feet of fiber into an environment desperate for growing and improving networks. All of this was driven by the understood need to connect the next 50% of America to reliable broadband service.

Over the past 3 years we have seen major improvements in the home passed and homes connected in the US. However, I believe that we still have a long way to go until we reach that goal of 100% connectivity for all American households. The FBA has been instrumental in getting new legislation created and large public broadband funds established. Now it is time to make sure the rollouts happen smoothly, the recipients understand the requirements put on them, and help guide this process. I believe that I can help facilitate that and keep promoting the need to better and future-proof networks.
How many years has your company been a Fiber Broadband Association Member? 3
How many years have you participated in Fiber Broadband Association activities? 6
Please indicate any Fiber Broadband Association Committees or working groups you have participated on including position and years served. I have been a member of the Public Policy committee for the past year.
Please list any Fiber Broadband Association Contributions (activities supported, assets developed, documents drafted, webinars presented, etc.) As STL we have been an exhibiting vendor at the Fiberconnect shows, and I have been a speaker during some of the shows and breakout sessions.
How many years have you been in your current position? 2
Describe your current job and functional responsibilities. I lead the sales team in the United States and Canada for STL. My team covers the entire continent and is focused on providing optical fiber cable to service providers throughout the industry. We work together with large Tier 1 carriers as well as small rural telephone companies and part of my role is to make sure we protect the best interest of the consumer. I believe it is important in today’s landscape to focus especially on some of the smaller providers that have been overlooked in the past. These are the companies that are digging ditches and climbing poles in rural America to do the work that has been happened in the past 25 years. In my role I have been involved since day 1 for STL to build up our North American presence, which included the opening of our brand new factory in South Carolina. I believe in the emphasis that is placed on bringing the supply chain, and as many jobs as possible, back to the US.
What was your previous position? Tier 1 Account Manager
How many years did you hold your previous position for? 2
Do you have experience as a member of a Board of Directors? No
The bylaws prohibit convicted felons from serving on the board. Is there any legal impediment that would prevent you from serving on the Board? No
Is there any legal issue personally of which the Association should be aware? No
Being a Fiber Broadband Association Board Member requires a considerable time commitment. Please confirm that you have the support of your company if you are elected. Yes
Please provide a short overview of your experience with telecommunications, fiber optics, and FTTH technologies. I have been working for manufacturer of optical fiber cable for the past 10 years. Through this experience I am intimately familiar with how the most important part of the network is produced, functions, and needs to be treated. This also has exposed me to detailed knowledge of some of the biggest bottlenecks that this industry has had to face when it comes to fiber supply. The projected increased demand that BEAD will drive, on top of already historical demand, will surely lead to another market cycle of undersupply. I think that I can bring a lot of those insights to the FBA to help understand some of the challenges and help educate the companies we serve.
Please describe the goals you would like to accomplish during your term as Fiber Broadband Association Board Member. I would like to a part of a team that helps drive this industry closer to passing every household in the USA. President Biden has stated that he wants 100% homes passed by 3030, so I would like to be able to say that in 2027 we are 80% of the way there. I think the FBA can be instrumental in helping to remove some roadblocks for the providers and help educate on how best to navigate complicated processes. I would like to be at the forefront of that and be a resource to anyone who is looking for help and guidance.

I also have witnessed amazing growth year over year of the Fiberconnect expo over the past 3 years. Despite this success I am sure that there is more growth possible and would like to contribute to making sure that Fiberconnect establishes itself as the best and most valuable Telecom show in the industry.
Have you reviewed the Board of Directors’ Responsibilities document, and do you understand what is required? Yes
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 am extremely competitive and always work very hard to reach the goals that are set for me and I set for myself. If I am elected a Board Member for the FBA, I will commit whatever time it will take for me to make an impact and do what is expected of me. I am used to traveling a lot in my current role and have learned to be flexible when it comes to my schedule and working around important projects that take a lot of time. I will have no problem spending time and effort pushing the Association forward.
Please inform us of any other information, issue, or concern of which the Association should be aware. None

Fiber Day on the Hill

Candidate Search Portal

2023 FBA Premier Members Meeting

FBA Premier Members! Join us for the annual Premier Members Meeting in Palm Springs, California.

Schedule of Events:

Monday, December 4 – Networking Activities (optional – estimated start times in parentheses below)

    • Golfing (7:00 am)
    • BMW Racetrack Event (10:30 am)
    • Aerial Tram & Scenic Chino Canyon Experience (10:30 am)
    • Jeep Tour of the San Andreas Fault (10:30 am)
    • Air Museum & Plane Tour (10:30 am)
    • Cooking Class with Tequila Pairing (11:30 am)

Activities are first-come, first-served until an activity/s reach maximum capacity. Transportation to and from each activity is included, if applicable.

Monday, December 4 – Welcome Reception at 5:30 pm followed by Dinner at 6 pm

Tuesday, December 5 – Meeting from 8 am – 5 pm

The first representative attends at no cost (hotel and transportation on own). Additional company representatives may register for the event and will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis as space permits requiring receipt of payment prior to the event. We will notify the affected individuals in the case that we reach capacity. The cost for an additional representative is $750.

Questions about the Premier Member Meeting or how to become an FBA Premier Member? Please contact Jennifer Vassil, Manager, Membership, Administration & Operations at FBA, at jvassil@fiberbroadband.org.

 

 

Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0: All Modules

 

Since early 2022, NTCA and FBA have collaborated to help state broadband offices and interested stakeholders prepare for funding from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program in ways that will have meaningful and lasting impacts. As states develop their plans for the distribution of BEAD funding, NTCA and FBA have released a series of Playbook 3.0 modules providing deeper dives into key aspects of what states will need to tackle in their initial proposals. Below you will find all published modules to date.

 

Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0: Module 1 - Permitting

The Rural Broadband Association and the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) have released the first module from the new “Playbook 3.0,” the latest iteration of the joint “Broadband Infrastructure Playbook.” The first module is dedicated to permitting and will be followed by other modules that will address issues like cybersecurity, supply chain risk management, and broadband coverage challenge processes.
Access

Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0: Module 2 - Extremely High Cost Threshold

The Rural Broadband Association and the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) have released the second module from the new “Playbook 3.0,” the latest iteration of the joint “Broadband Infrastructure Playbook.” This module covers “Extremely High Cost Threshold” (EHCT) and how to determine whether to deploy fiber to locations in the hardest-to-reach places. 
Access

Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0: Module 3 - Challenge Process

The Rural Broadband Association and the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) have released the third module from the new “Playbook 3.0,” the latest iteration of the joint “Broadband Infrastructure Playbook.” This module covers how to approach improvements to the accuracy of the National Broadband Map through additional challenge processes. 
Access

Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0: Module 4 - Cyber Security and Supply Chain Risk Management

In this Playbook 3.0 module, we summarize the NOFO’s cybersecurity and supply chain risk management baseline requirements and provide recommendations on how states and territories can work with prospective subgrantees to address these requirements. These include simple steps to provide potential subgrantees with educational materials related to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework as well as recommendations for how to develop a safe and secure process for collecting copies of subgrantee plans since they may likely contain confidential information.
Access

2023 Third Quarter Results

October 2, 2023

Dear FBA Members,

In the third quarter of 2023, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) team delivered its 11th consecutive quarter of revenue and membership growth. As of the end of August, our year-to-date revenue had a 40% favorable variance to budget and grew 49% year-over-year, while we carefully managed expenses to within 5% of budget. FBA’s membership has grown 108% over the past three years and we have added over 50 net new member companies since our Premier Members’ meeting last December, with service providers representing 51% of total member companies. We are excited to report that we have added 25 Federally Recognized Tribal Organizations as members in 2023. FBA’s Latin America (LATAM) chapter has grown 18% year-over-year and is on track to be cashflow positive for the year. While the Association’s financial metrics are important to ensure the overall health and stability of the organization, I am most pleased with FBA’s progress in advancing FBA’s mission to accelerate the deployment of fiber broadband networks as a means to ensure digital equity and enable every community to leverage the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver.

During the quarter, our Public Policy committee, under the leadership of Marissa Mitrovich, launched a series of new modules for FBA’s Broadband Infrastructure Playbook to assist state broadband offices as they further develop their policies for the $42.45B Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) infrastructure funding administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). FBA published (or plans to publish) six “Playbook 3.0” modules on the following topics: Permitting, Extremely High-Cost Threshold, Challenge Process, Cybersecurity/Supply Chain, Matching/Scoring, and Reporting. These Playbook 3.0 modules are fundamental to key elements of each state’s BEAD funding implementation plan, and we want to ensure that each state broadband office gets these critical policy elements right. In addition, FBA has been working closely with NTIA and our members on the Build America, Buy America (BABA) waiver policies and we filed formal comments with NTIA on September 21, to share our views on how to improve the waiver to enable greater industry participation and ensure BEAD deadlines and timelines can be met. The Public Policy team is also actively engaging with Congress on policy priorities and supporting key legislation, such as the recently introduced, bipartisan CLOSE THE GAP Act that would streamline permitting reform. Our team is also advocating for the importance of continuing to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) for broadband subsidies for low-income subscribers, among other key efforts to accelerate fiber deployment.

The Fiber Broadband Association’s research efforts have produced a number of new studies, reports, and tools over the quarter, including the following:

  • “The Status of U.S. Broadband: The Growing Preference to Fiber Broadband” (FBA/RVA) that reveals fiber broadband is considered the best internet service delivery method in terms of speed and reliability among 63% of all U.S. consumers, including 54% of cable users.
  • “BEAD High Cost Threshold Model” (FBA/Cartesian) that provides the model each state broadband office can use to maximize fiber deployment in their state while ensuring everyone is connected to high-speed broadband.
  • “Status of FTTH Product Inventory Levels In The U.S.” (FBA/RVA) reveals that we are getting close to normal levels for some product categories such as terminals/enclosures, splitters, and getting fairly close for conduit. Fiber cable and electronics may still have a few months to go before inventories are normalized.

FBA held its annual Fiber Connect 2023 conference, August 20-23 in Orlando, breaking all records from our previous years’ events. Our attendance grew 31% over the previous year and the event had over 225 speakers, five pre-conference workshops, seven educational session breakout tracks, and Tech Deep Dives with the Broadband Forum. We were extremely pleased with attendance and content at The State Broadband Summit, held on the final day, and the outcome of our inaugural C-Suite Forum, held on August 21. The highlights of the main stage general sessions were the five Operator Light Talks, which included talks from the president of AT&T, CEO of Google Fiber, EBP’s Quantum Networking discussion, Lumos’ discussion on digital equity, and Consolidated Communications president of consumer and SMB’s discussion on rural communities. While Fiber Connect 2023 concluded a few short weeks ago, FBA’s conference committee is already working diligently on Fiber Connect 2024 which will be held in Nashville on July 28-31. Our exhibit floor is already nearly sold out for 2024 and it will be our largest expo hall yet.

On the Regional Fiber Connect workshop front, we will be holding our final event for 2023 in Minneapolis on October 24. Registration for Minneapolis is on track to surpass all our previous regional events. For 2024, we will bring our regional workshops to five new cities, including: Richmond, VA, in February; Little Rock, AR, in April; Park City, UT, in June; Des Moines, IA, in September; and Albuquerque, NM, in November. Unlike our large Fiber Connect annual conference, Regional Fiber Connect attendees are generally not familiar with FBA and it is their first FBA event. This provides a great opportunity for FBA and our sponsors to engage with these attendees who are seeking to learn about fiber broadband and how to connect their communities.

Our LATAM Chapter will be holding the second of two Fiber Connect LATAM conferences in Mexico City on October 10th and 11th. The two-day event expects over 500 registrants and will be followed by two days of training and certification programs.

I am pleased to announce that we added three new members to the FBA staff during this quarter. Please join me in welcoming Todd Jackson, Skyeler McGuire, and David Norris. Todd came to us from Lit Communities and joined the team at the end of June to serve as the Workforce Development Director. In this role, he will be working closely with Deborah Kish and Mark Boxer. Skyeler joins us from Northrup Gruman and joined the team in September as Marketing Specialist to work with Nadir Noon on marketing and the website. David Norris, our most recent addition, will report to Jennifer Vassil and serve as our Webinar Producer and Virtual Event Operations Manager. David comes to us from ON24 and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise on virtual event execution and management.

To ensure our continued success, the Fiber Broadband Association has been focused on the following key initiatives:

  1. Fiber is critical infrastructure
    • This is not about meeting minimum or good enough speeds.
      It is all about building out the critical broadband infrastructure for generations to come.
  2. Accelerating deployment
    • Speed of deployment is our friend. Anything that slows down our efforts will result in driving up cost and inefficiencies.
    • Streamlining permitting and locates is paramount.
    • Taking actions to prevent supply chain disruption.
  3. Protect our nation’s critical broadband infrastructure
    • This summer, FBA completed its Trusted Fiber 1.0 whitepaper, and we are working with policymakers to socialize these important ideas that will play a key role in protecting our nation’s critical broadband infrastructure networks.
  4. Workforce Development
    • FBA developed a Broadband Workforce Development Guidebook that was distributed to every state broadband office and workforce development office across the nation; and to-date we hosted over a dozen “Train the Trainer” sessions to help communities launch their own programs.
    • FBA is continuing to roll out our Optical Telecom Installer Certification (OpTIC Path™) fiber technician training program to community colleges and learning institutions in every state in the nation.
  5. Adoption and Affordability
    • As we connect homes across the nation with fiber, we must ensure everyone is able to participate in our digital future.

As we close the third quarter, the following is our progress against our 3Q 2023 goals:

  • Execute a record Fiber Connect 2023 in Orlando on August 20 – 23.
    • FBA’s annual conference was the largest fiber broadband event in the world this year with around 4,000 registrants. The content, speakers, and exhibition hall were the best in Association history.
  • Promote our Fiber Workforce Development Guidebook in every state in the nation and influence each state’s workforce development plan to include fiber optic technician training.
    • FBA issued our Fiber Workforce Development Guidebook in 2Q and we distributed it to every state broadband and workforce development office in the nation. NTIA identified our Guidebook as an industry best practice and it has become a critical resource as each state submits their five-year plan and initial BEAD proposals to NTIA.
  • Continue to ramp and scale our OpTIC Path fiber technician training program nationwide.
    • FBA is currently engaged with 39 states and 108 training institutions across the nation. The job placement rate for students completing our OpTIC Path training program is currently at 73%.
  • Continue to significantly elevate FBA’s public policy impact on Capitol Hill, the Administration, and key agencies.
    • FBA’s public policy committee has grown to 107 members, doubling in size over 2023, and has been extremely active: filing comments on September 21 for NTIA’s BABA waiver, the bipartisan introduction of the CLOSE THE GAP Act to streamline permitting, advocating for continued funding for the ACP administered by the Federal Communications Commission, and numerous other policy matters to accelerate fiber broadband deployment, affordability, and adoption.
    • FBA also added Wiley Rein’s Crystal Tully, formerly Deputy Staff Director for the Senate Commerce Committee under the leadership of then Ranking Member Senator Wicker (R-MS) and Shawn Chang, telecom veteran and former Chief Counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology under the leadership of then Ranking Member Eshoo (D-CA), as advocacy partners.
  • Continue to develop our state advocacy and leverage our Fiber Day messaging and assets at the state level.
    • FBA added a State Policy working group, chaired by Trent Fellers (Windstream) to coordinate on state advocacy issues.
  • Continue to diversify the Association’s revenue.
    • Three years ago, FBA’s revenue was largely 70% conference and 30% membership dues. Despite record conference and membership revenue growth, our current revenue contributions are 59% from the annual conference, 20% from membership dues, and new revenue streams are contributing 21%.

Our goals for 4Q are the following:

  • Develop FBA’s 5-year plan during our 4Q board strategy retreat.
  • Exceed our success targets for our final 2023 Regional Fiber Connect event in Minneapolis on October 24.
  • Execute the best Premier Member meeting in Association history in Palm Springs on December 5-6.
  • Achieve material progress in ramping up our OpTIC Path training program nationwide.
  • Deliver a new annual Fiber Deployment Cost study.
  • Continue to significantly elevate FBA’s public policy impact on Capitol Hill, the Administration, and key agencies.
  • Improve staff efficiency in the execution of our educational outreach, which includes over 100 webinars and Fiber for Breakfast sessions annually.

As we head into the final quarter of 2023, FBA could not be better positioned to execute on our mission, benefiting generations to come. Our Association will continue to focus on advocacy, education, and industry best practices to ensure we maximize this historic opportunity. As our nation invests in building the broadband infrastructure for our future, we are truly grateful for the tremendous support we have received from our board, our amazing staff, and our strategic partners, as well as our committee and working group leaders and volunteers. Without their unwavering dedication, our continued success would not have been possible.

I look forward to seeing our members and new friends in Mexico City, October 10th and 11th, at our regional event in Minneapolis on October 24th, at our Premier Members meeting in Palm Springs, December 4th and 5th, or at the numerous other industry events that FBA attends. You can also reach me 24/7 on my cell phone (listed below) or by email if I or anyone on my staff can help you and your company accelerate the deployment of fiber. When Fiber Leads, The Future Follows…

Sincerely,

 

 

Gary Bolton
President and CEO
Fiber Broadband Association
(919) 349-1025
gbolton@fiberbroadband.org

Fiber for Breakfast 2023 Week 38 – Quantum Technology – What It Is and Why It Will (Soon) Matter

2025 Board of Directors Nominees

The 2024 Fiber Broadband Association board elections will occur on December 5th at the Annual Fiber Broadband Association Premier Member Meeting in Palm Springs, California. The Association’s nine Board members are elected for three-year terms, staggered to allow openings for three Directors each year. Each Board member may only serve two consecutive terms. No more than one person from any Premier Member company may serve on the Board at any time. A complete description of expectations for the Association’s Board of Director members can be found on the Board of Directors’ Responsibilities page.

Premier member representatives unable to attend the meeting may vote by absentee ballot, which will be sent to all designated member company representatives on November 20, 2023. Absentee ballots must be sent to elections@fiberbroadband.org and received prior to the vote on December 5. All voting is by “sealed” ballot and will be kept confidential.
All comments and questions regarding the voting process should go to elections@fiberbroadband.org.

Below are the nominees for the 2024 FBA Board of Directors election. Each nominee has completed a Board questionnaire to present their qualifications as well as a 3-minute video. Click the links below to read more information on the nominated individuals and to watch their short videos.

Where’s the Funding? Episode 9: The Challenges of Matching Funds

Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0: Module 4 – Cyber Security and Supply Chain Risk Management

In this Playbook 3.0 module, we summarize the NOFO’s cybersecurity and supply chain risk management baseline requirements and provide recommendations on how states and territories can work with prospective subgrantees to address these requirements. These include simple steps to provide potential subgrantees with educational materials related to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework as well as recommendations for how to develop a safe and secure process for collecting copies of subgrantee plans since they may likely contain confidential information. Finally, this module encourages states and territories to provide subgrantees flexibility in the organization of their plans as each company is different and faces its own unique challenges and needs.

Download Module 4 - Cyber Security and Supply Chain Risk Management

2026 Fiber Broadband Association Board of Directors Election

About the FBA Board of Directors Election Process

Each year, at their annual meeting, Premier Members of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) elect new Directors to the Board.  This year FBA will be holding an electronic primary election in mid-November followed by the final election at the annual meeting. 

Directors are elected for three-year terms, which are staggered.  Each Board member may only serve two consecutive terms.  Last year, we began expanding the Board by one Director each year until we reach a total of 12.  As such, four Board of Directors positions are open this year.

No more than one employee from a Premier Member or an affiliate may serve on the Board at any time and no more than one candidate from a company may run at a time. Candidates for the Board must be employed by a company that has been a Premier Member since October 13, 2024, and the company must be in good standing. While we welcome all qualified self-nominations, the Board particularly values candidates who demonstrate:

  • Prior Engagement: Have previously attended annual Fiber Connects and/or Regional Fiber Connect events.
  • Active Leadership: Actively contribute and demonstrate leadership initiative within FBA committees and working groups.

Candidates shall self-nominate.  Each candidate shall complete a Board Questionnaire.  All candidates will be required to review, acknowledge, and sign off on the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of FBA Board Members document, which can be found on the Board of Directors’ Responsibilities page.  We also require candidates to produce a three-minute video as part of their nomination.

Questionnaire and video instructions will be provided within two business days of receiving a candidate’s self-nomination.  All nominee videos and questionnaire responses will be published on the FBA website with the official announcement of the candidates on October 6th.

Please submit nominations by filling out the form linked below no later than September 29, 2025.

Self-Nominate Now!
Voting Process

For the election, each Premier Member Company will need to assign a designated individual from their company to vote. If you have not yet assigned a designated voter or wish to confirm that individual, please contact elections@fiberbroadband.org.

This year, we are holding a Primary Election to narrow the field of candidates leading into the Final Election. The Primary Election will take place the week of November 3rd. The top 6 candidates will then move on to the final election. More details on that process will be shared with each Premier Member Company’s designated voting individual.

The Final Election will take place during the Premier Members Meeting on December 9, 2025.  We encourage all Premier Members to attend this important event.  If you do not plan to attend, you may submit an absentee ballot, which you can request by emailing elections@fiberbroadband.org. Those who request an absentee ballot will receive them on Monday, December 8th, 2025. Absentee voters will have until 2 pm PST on December 9th to submit their ballots to FBA legal counsel at tcohen@kelleydrye.com.  All voting is by “sealed” ballot and will be kept confidential.

 

 

All Comments and questions regarding the voting process should go to elections@fiberbroadband.org.

Fiber for Breakfast 2023 Week 37 – Setting the Record Straight on PON Equipment Trends