CO-OPS CONNECT

Prompted by the need to update the cooperative's electric grid and enhance smart grid capabilities, Oklahoma's Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative realized high-speed communications was the way to go. Fortunately, Oklahoma is home to many other dedicated electric cooperatives under the Cooperative Broadband Coalition, committed to bringing fiber-to-the-home access to unserved and underserved Oklahomans. Tune in this week as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, speaks with Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative and CVEC Fiber's CEO, Gary Highley, to discuss the insights gained by his team since the inception of their rural broadband project and the impact of FTTH on the entire state of Oklahoma.

Kosciusko Connect and its fiber subsidiary Kosciusko Rural Electric Membership Corporation (Kosciusko REMC), embark on its remarkable growth story since the co-op’s FTTH project conception in 2022. Tune in this week as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, speaks with KREMC’s Vice President, Curt Barkey, to uncover the pivotal role of choosing the right broadband partner and assembling a passionate team. From regulatory challenges to transformative marketing strategies, learn the secrets behind Kosciusko REMC's extraordinary broadband success in pursuit of its mission to serve members. 

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative and its fiber subsidiary, OEC Fiber, have kept community at the forefront since the co-op’s FTTH project conception in 2017– and the results are paying off. OEC Fiber was recently recognized as the Best Fiber Internet in the state of Oklahoma, with hugely successful on-system and off-system builds. Tune in this week as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, speaks with OEC Fiber's President, David Goodspeed, to discuss what has become one of the fastest-growing rural broadband projects in the country.

As the first electric cooperative in the state of Florida to deliver and deploy a FTTH network, rural north Florida’s Tri-County Electric Cooperative has overcome the learning curve and taken away some key lessons along the way. Listen in as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, and Tri-County Electric Cooperative's CEO, Julius Hackett, discuss the co-op's historic broadband journey and how it’s sparking a movement among other co-ops in Florida.

Since 2020, Central Rural Electric Cooperative has been keeping both its members and employees at the forefront of its fiber-to-the-home project. Listen in as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, speaks with Central Rural Electric Cooperative's CEO, Hunter Robinson, on the fiber project's impact on the culture of their organization, as well as his role in Oklahoma's broadband coalition.

 One of the first electric cooperatives to partner with Conexon Connect in building a 100% fiber-to-the-home network, Central Georgia EMC was a trailblazer in connecting members to the future with world-class, high-speed internet. Listen in as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, speaks with Central Georgia EMC's CEO, George Weaver, and Central Georgia EMC's COO, Ben Thomason, on how the fiber network has progressed and the lessons learned along the way.

For many electric cooperatives, fiber projects often go beyond their own membership to serve surrounding areas with the high-speed internet desperately needed to stay connected in the digital age. This episode, listen in as Co-Mo Connect's CEO, Aaron Bradshaw, speaks with Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, on the ins and outs of expanding fiber networks.

Electric cooperatives made it their mission in the '30s and '40s to bring electricity to rural America. Today, they are committed to doing the same with fiber broadband projects. Tune in this week as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, is joined by Cumberland EMC's Manager of Broadband Division, Mark Cook, and General Manager, Chris Davis, to discuss their strategy in translating Cumberland EMC's values to the Cumberland Connect brand.

It's no secret that a fiber project is both an intricate construction process and a costly undertaking, but it is a necessary addition to electric cooperatives to close the digital divide with today's levels of connectivity. Listen in as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, speaks with North East Mississippi Electric Power Association's (NEMEPA) General Manager/CEO, Keith Hayward, on the topic of how funding made fiber a reality for NEMEPA members.

Fiber broadband offers communities so much more than high-speed internet: It also enables Smart Grid capabilities to improve connectivity and communications on the electric system. Tune into the latest episode of Co-ops Connect as Conexon's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Account Management, Abby Carere, and guest host Carl Meyerhoefer, Conexon’s SVP of Business Development, are joined by Patrick Grace, CEO of Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, and Colby Wells, CEO of South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative, to discuss the impact of fiber internet and smart grid technology on their co-ops’ business practices.