FBA Celebrates Broadband Achievements at Fiber Connect 2020

The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) recognized exemplary organizations and individuals with several awards during its 2020 Virtual Fiber Connect event.

Award winners have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the advancement of the fiber broadband industry throughout the past year.

2020 Chairman’s Award: Virginia Walker, Former CEO, Walker and Associates

2020 Star Award: United Services Cooperative

2020 Photon Award: Joseph Jones, Executive Vice President, On Trac, Inc.

2020 Chairman’s Award Winner: Virginia Walker, Walker and Associates

The Chairman’s Award singles out an individual or company that has shown tremendous effort to promote, educate, or accelerate fiber-to-the-home. The Fiber Broadband Association was honored to present this award to Virginia Walker, Former CEO, Walker and Associates.

Virginia co-founded Walker and Associates in 1970, and she built the business into a multi-million dollar international technology company at a time when women in telecom were not acknowledged or celebrated. Virginia has paved the way for women in business and technology to succeed, pursue leadership roles, and push gender-based boundaries.

“I was proud to present this year’s Chairman’s Award during our annual Women in Fiber Luncheon,” said Katie Espeseth, Vice President of New Products, EPB and Fiber Broadband Association Board Chair. “Virginia’s leadership and determination are an inspiration to all women, and it was my pleasure to honor her at this forum.”

2020 Star Award Winner: United Services Cooperative

The Star Award recognizes a person, community, or company that exceeds what is expected in the advancement of fiber-to-the-home. This year’s recipient is United Services Cooperative in recognition of its efforts to build a fiber-to-the-home network that will serve a 14-county service territory where 87% of members previously had little or no access to high-speed broadband.

The electric cooperative stepped up to this challenge, and the FBA celebrates United Services Cooperative’s goal to deliver competitively priced ultrafast broadband to its members.

2020 Photon Award Winner: Joseph Jones, On Trac, Inc.

The Photon Award honors a Fiber Broadband Association member who, through volunteer contribution, has demonstrated a high level of dedication to the organization and has contributed greatly to the industry.

The 2020 winner of the Photon Award is Joseph Jones, Executive Vice President, On Trac, Inc. Joseph’s ability to balance his position as a leader at On Trac with his role as Conference Chair for the Fiber Connect event is truly commendable. He has worked tirelessly with exceptional success in advancing the fiber industry.

“The deployment of fiber has never been more important than it is today. We honor this year’s recipients who have dedicated so much of their time and effort to futureproofing our communities and businesses with all-fiber networks,” said Gary Bolton, President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association.

With nearly 1,000 guests in attendance, the 2020 Virtual Fiber Connect conference remains North America’s premier networking and learning engagement for professionals in the fiber industry.

The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association in the Americas dedicated to the pursuit of all- fiber-optic network infrastructure to the home, to the business and to everywhere.

The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better broadband networks with fiber optics while working with its members to lead the organization forward, collaborate with industry allies and propel the deployment of fiber networks.

Since 2001, these companies, organizations and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build a better broadband future here and around the world.