INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT

Established in 2001 and the only all-fiber trade association in the Americas, the Fiber Broadband Association provides advocacy, education, and resources to companies, organizations, and communities who want to deploy the best networks through fiber to the home, fiber to the business, and fiber everywhere. Their member-led association collaborates with industry allies to propel fiber deployment forward for a better broadband future globally. Fiber Broadband Association members represent the entire broadband ecosystem: providers, suppliers, consultants, consumers, policymakers, device makers, and application providers.

Our company’s involvement with the FTTH Council, now the Fiber Broadband Association, goes back to 2003. From that beginning, our CEO, Mike Hill, actively participated on multiple committees such as Planning & Marketing, Government Relations, and Finance & Audit. Mike was first elected to the Board in 2006 and still serves in that role today. His experiences as a Board member include chairing the annual conference in 2007 and 2010 and being chosen by the Board to serve as Chairman in 2008, 2011, and 2016. Mike has served on several ad-hoc teams, such as the Interim President Transitional Team, the President Search Team, and the Conference Planning Vendor Search Team. In addition, Mike was the 2018 recipient of The Chairman’s Award, given at the discretion of the Chairman of the Fiber Broadband Association Board of Directors, which singles out an individual or company that has shown tremendous effort to promote, educate, or accelerate fiber-to-the-home. Most recently, Mike served as the Chairman of the Senior Council Committee, which provides advice and support to the Association’s Board of Directors and President/CEO when applicable.

Joseph Jones “JJ” (President) also serves in a leadership role with the Association. Joseph has served and chaired various committees for the past 15 years, including being the Fiber Connect Conference Chairman for the sixth consecutive year. The Fiber Connect Conference is the industry’s leading all-fiber conference, which has over 4,000 attendees and 400 network operators per year. Joseph is a two-time recipient of the Photon Award (2010 & 2020), 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. From 2021- 2023, JJ served on the Board and was elected as the Chairman of the Board in 2023.  Joseph now serves on the Senior Council Committee with other former board members.

Broadband Communities is the leading source of information on digital and broadband technologies for buildings and communities.  Their editorial aims to accelerate the deployment of FTTH and FTTP while keeping readers up to date on the available solutions capable of serving their practical needs.  Building a Fiber-Connected World is the tagline of Broadband Communities magazine, and each year the FTTH Top 100 list recognizes organizations that lead the way in this arena.  On Trac is currently recognized by Broadband Communities as a “Top 100” Fiber-To-The-Home company and we have gained that distinction for fifteen years straight.

Read more: https://www.bbcmag.com/tools-and-resources/ftth-top-100/2023

The Tennessee Broadband Association is an industry trade organization formed for the purpose of promoting telecommunications service in Tennessee. The Association is comprised of independent and cooperatively owned companies that connect almost 30 percent of the state with broadband and related services. Together these companies have invested more than $240 million in recent years to connect rural Tennesseans with fiber networks.

The Knoxville Chamber is an economic prosperity organization located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The organization is committed to its mission of driving regional economic prosperity. Its five-year strategic vision, Path to Prosperity, prioritizes a progressive, sustainable economic ecosystem that fuels growth for existing industry and prepares the region for future employment opportunities. This strategic platforms identify industries where Knoxville and the surrounding region are best positioned to drive innovation, expansion and economic success with a focus on Communication, Health, Movement, Power, and Security.

On Trac is working directly with the eKnox Task Force which has a focus on creating more options toward the goal of achieving 100 percent broadband connectivity for every household in the Knoxville MSA. In the near term, the task force has focused on developing an emergency Internet access plan for students in Knox County in the event virtual learning is required.