Agenda

Saturday, February 15 

4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. 
CONFERENCE CENTRAL
Make your first stop Conference Central to pick up your conference badge and get general information. 

5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
First Time Attendee Reception

Sunday, February 16 

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. 
Church Service 

7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. 
CONFERENCE CENTRAL

8:00 a.m.–9:15 a.m. 
Telco Executives Policy Discussion 

8:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 
Foundation for Rural Service Board of Directors Meeting

9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. 
NTCA Rural Broadband PAC Board Meeting 

9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. 
Welcome to Phoenix 

10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. 
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

TELCO TRACK

Digital Marketing Strategies for 2020
Comments, retweets, likes, shares—customers are engaging with your company in entirely new and ever-changing ways. Learn about where social media is heading at the start of this decade and how to best integrate social media and content marketing into existing traditional media strategies.

NTCA certificate code: B108 

Considerations and Best Practices for Rural Broadband Deployments
The “digital divide” is real and expanding across much of rural America.  Fiber-based broadband has the potential to deliver access to good education, great jobs and state-of-the-art healthcare to people wherever they live—closing the digital divide once and for all—so why haven’t we solved this already?  Rural broadband deployments present unique challenges.  This session led by two experts with over 60 years of combined experience with telcos of all sizes will explore the unique challenges of rural broadband deployments and share insights and best practices for overcoming them.

NTCA certificate code: B109 

The Future of Telecom Switching—Moving Voice to the Cloud? 
As legacy switching equipment nears its end of life, many companies are considering alternative switching platforms to maintain voice market share. This session covers the pros and cons of moving your voice switching platform to a cloud-based provider or a shared and aggregated switch, including a review of switching options and features; the challenges, industry requirements, and general networking design of a cloud-based voice platform; and how alternative switching platforms can help expand beyond the ILEC exchange.   

This session is brought to you by the NTCA Associate Member Advisory Council.

NTCA certificate code: T101 .

 

DIRECTOR TRACK

Network Security—Not a Passing Craze 
Concern for network security will remain top of mind as we depend on network connectivity at an increasing rate. Get a complete understanding of what cybersecurity means to the telco and what the board’s role is when it comes to budgeting and risk management.  

NTCA certificate code: T110 

Partnership With Electrics 
There are some shining examples of partnerships that need a spotlight, and at this session, we’ll shed light on some great ventures that can be emulated. The time is now to consider opportunities before they are missed or become threats.  

NTCA certificate code: B103 

Board Dynamics, Diversification and Evolution  
It’s never too late to start mixing up the board. A diverse board reflects your community with a mix of generations, backgrounds and new perspectives. Don’t wait until diversification becomes an issue, start the process now of seeking out potential board candidates that can help propel your board into the future.

NTCA certificate code: G108 

Tales From the Board’s Perspective—How Small Companies Do It Right 
Small but mighty companies are doing great things across the USA. From a board’s perspective, learn how small companies are leading the pack when it comes to advancing the company’s bottom line.  

NTCA certificate code: B109 

10:30 a.m.–Noon
Membership Committee Meeting 

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. 
CONCURRENT SESSIONS (Repeat)

12:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. 
Government Affairs Committee Meeting 

1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. 
Awards Committee Meeting 

1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. 
Meetings and Education Committee Meeting

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. 
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

DIRECTOR TRACK (does not repeat)

What Does IoT Mean to Me?  
Simple devices attached to the internet have forever changed the way we work and live. Using specific examples on the market today, we’ll look at some ways IoT devices are impacting rural Americans. 

NTCA certificate code: T109 

Press Your Luck—The Quiz Show 
How good is your industry knowledge? In a fast-paced quiz show format, learn industry terms and tips, all things NTCA, and what’s new in the industry. Be prepared to test your industry knowledge and come away with some winning ideas. 

NTCA certificate code: T102 

Showing and Sharing Your Story 
Storytelling is an engaging but often-overlooked way to connect with your community. Through stories, you can convey your values and contributions, establish trust with those who rely on your services, and create real and lasting relationships with community members. But how can you identify and capture these stories, and what are the most effective ways to develop and distribute them? Join us for an interactive session that explores these questions and more, as you begin a journey to showing and sharing your story. 

This session is brought to you by the NTCA Associate Member Advisory Council 

NTCA certificate code: B107 
 

1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.  
CEO Roundtables by Company Size
One of the top reasons why CEOs and GMs attend RTIME is to network with their peers. Join peers of similar-sized companies in one-on-one candid discussions and networking. These roundtables are split up by company size so you can get a feel for what your peers are doing. 

• Smaller Companies: 15 or fewer employees 
• Mid-Sized Companies: 16–40 employees 
• Larger Companies: 41–100 employees 
• Largest Companies: more than 100 employees 

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
CSSA Board Meeting 

3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 
Regional Caucuses
Network with your peers and hear about what's happening within your NTCA region. 

4:30 p.m.–5:45 p.m. 
WELCOME RECEPTION 

5:15 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
NISC Telecom Annual Meeting and Reception 

Monday, February 17 

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. 
NTCA Rural Broadband PAC Awards Breakfast 

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. 
Telcom Insurance Group Policy Holder Breakfast 

7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 
CONFERENCE CENTRAL

7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. 
Consulting Room 

• NRTC

7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 
Consulting Rooms 

• CoBank 
• RTFC
• RUS 

8:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.  
OPENING GENERAL SESSION

Welcome
The Native American World Champion Hoop Dancer will kick off the conference with an inspiring and immersive performance. The dance honors cultural traditions from various American Indian tribes who use hoop dancing as part of their healing ceremonies. Dancers use their hoops to create symbols of eagles, baskets, flowers, insects, and much more in beat to the music.

 

CEO Update
Shirley Bloomfield, Chief Executive Officer, NTCA 

 

 

 

Conversation with Anne Hazlett
Senior Advisor for Rural Affairs, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
 

 

 

 

Accelerating Innovation: How to Jumpstart Your Organization's Growth Engine  
Jeff DeGraff, Bestselling Author, Advisor and Professor 
Productivity is no longer enough. Leaders are finding that the drive for growth is pushing strategic innovation initiatives down into operating units where the management and staff have few of the tools and little preparation to really make it happen. Leading organizations are pursuing innovative strategies and processes only to find that they lack the culture, competencies, and leadership practices required to execute and sustain innovation. The theme of this session is simple: Sustainable innovation is produced by developing leaders who can systematically add innovation to existing business practices. 

 

Top 10 for 2020
Two industry CEOs take us through the top 10 trends and issues to look for in rural broadband over the coming year.

 

9:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 
NETWORKING CENTRAL

10:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 
EXPO Open House Welcome

11:00 a.m.–11:20 a.m.
EXPO Forum: Mimosa by Airspan

11:35 a.m.–11:55 a.m.
EXPO Forum: Calix

12:10 p.m.–12:30 p.m.
EXPO Forum: atmail

11:00 a.m.–Noon 
Legal Committee Meeting 

11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Tribal Affairs Committee Meeting 

Noon–1:00 p.m. 
NTCA Excellence Awards Winners Luncheon 
Excellence Awards winners by invitation

Noon–6:00 p.m. 
NTCA Benefits Consulting Room 

12:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. 
Technical Committee Meeting 

1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. 
Joint meeting for the Industry and Regulatory Policy Committee and the Competitive and Advanced Services Committee

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. 
Associate Member Advisory Council Meeting

1:45 p.m.–2:45 p.m.  
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

TELCO TRACK

Rural Advancement: Opportunities in Education, Workforce and Healthcare
Every year The Foundation for Rural Service awards grants to communities served by NTCA members to build and sustain a high quality of life in rural America. Hear about how local efforts to capitalize on fiber broadband have forever changed the ability for residents of Smart Rural Communities to become smarter, healthier and more mobile.

NTCA certificate code: T106

Seize the Day—Make a Future-Proof Network 
As you think about the residents and businesses of tomorrow in your service areas, future-proofing the network becomes a critical factor. Availability of sustainable broadband is now a must-have for home buyers and businesses. Many carriers are perfectly poised to make sure the network is future-proofed, and this session will help you plan to do it right. 

NTCA certificate code: B106 

Selling Stand-Alone Broadband  
Many companies offering standalone broadband struggle with how to structure models, market services and sell. At this session, hear how your peers are approaching this market with success. 

NTCA certificate code: B108 

How to Train for Sales  
Michael Jordan once said, “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them”—a mantra familiar to anyone in sales. Learn how an NBA franchise with the seventh-best all-time winning percentage trains its sales staff, employs analytics to grow revenues, and charms VIPs, all while keeping employees energized through the wins and losses. Hear from a Phoenix Suns sales executive and a sports-turned-telecom marketer about the plays that work and what telcos can learn from the game.

This session is brought to you by the NTCA Marketing Committee

NTCA certificate code: B110 

 

DIRECTOR TRACK

Govern More, Manage Less 
Effective boards practice good governance and fully understand their role when it comes to setting strategy and monitoring progress. Learn how to fulfill your duties, and set a path toward great governance.  

NTCA certificate code: G106 

Reading Financial Docs for Non-Financial Folks 
Reading and understanding financial documents does not have to be mysterious. Learn how to cut through the finance talk and go straight to the bottom line, ensuring that your entire board keeps up their financial duties and responsibilities. 

NTCA certificate code: G101 

What’s New with Capital Credits and Patronage Dividends? 
Uncover the latest legal developments affecting capital credits, including board and management assessment, retirement practices, and discounting programs. Learn ways to reduce growing capital credit balances, especially in a regulatory environment of declining cost support and increased scrutiny. 

NTCA certificate code: B104 
 

3:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m. 
EXPO Open House 

3:30 p.m.–3:50 p.m.
EXPO Forum: CHR Solutions, Inc.

4:05 p.m.–4:25 p.m
EXPO Forum: Pivot Group

4:40 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
EXPO Forum: CDG

3:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. 
Innovation and Business Opportunity Committee Meeting 

6:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
Foundation for Rural Service Special Event: Retro Bash at The Duce

Tuesday, February 18

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. 
BREAKFAST

7:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. 
CONFERENCE CENTRAL

8:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. 
SECOND GENERAL SESSION

Rural Connections: Connecting the Disconnected—Building Tech Start-Ups in Your Community 
Brent Comstock, Founder and CEO, BCom Solutions
A nationally recognized entrepreneur and keynote speaker, Brent Comstock returns to the NTCA stage to paint a picture of challenges and successes rural entrepreneurs face as they build for the next generation. Using his digital company's success across the nation, he will dissect key elements of building a tech company in rural America and, of course, share a bit of rural Nebraska humor along the way. 

 

Leading the Way—Industry Leadership Panel
Shirley Bloomfield, CEO, NTCA
Lisa Youngers, President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association
Claude Aiken, President and CEO, Wireless Internet Service Provider Association
Join NTCA’s CEO along with the CEOs of three other industry associations to discuss trends, policy, broadband deployment, and other hot issues for 2020. 

 

8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. 
NTTA Membership Meeting  

8:00 a.m.–Noon 
TIG Board Meeting 

8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. 
NTCA Benefits Consulting Room 

8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 
ACE Annual Meeting 

9:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 
NETWORKING CENTRAL

10:15 a.m.–11:00 a.m. 
CSSA Annual Meeting  

10:15 a.m.–11:15 a.m.  
CONCURRENT SESSIONS (repeat from Monday) 

10:15 a.m.–11:15 a.m. 
SPOUSE SESSION

Mindfully Rise Above Stress
Shawn Bradford, Breathe & Work PLLC, Yoga and Meditation/Mindfulness Teacher
Is it the stressor or your reaction to it that triggers your stress? Shawn will share her expertise in using yoga and meditation to implement positive life changes through the power of mindfulness.

11:00 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
CSSA Board Meeting

11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
EXPO Exclusive Telco Executive Luncheon

11:30 a.m.– 12:15 p.m. 
CONCURRENT SESSION

DIRECTOR TRACK (does not repeat)

How to Connect with Congress
Scott Lively, Senior Director of Government Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy, NTCA
Adam Jorde, Director of Government Affairs, NTCA 
The time is right, and it’s a marathon not a sprint. Rural broadband has seen many successes over the past several years, but now is not the time to let down our guard. When it comes to closing the digital divide and sustaining our progress, hear what you can do to keep up the steady pace of focused grassroots advocacy on telecom issues and keep knocking on policy makers’ doors.  

NTCA certificate code: P101 

1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. 
EXPO Open House

1:45 p.m.– 2:05 p.m.
EXPO Live: Step Inside a Smart Rural Community
What does it mean to be a Smart Rural Community? Come discover how a robust fiber network powers precision agriculture in an NTCA Smart Rural Community. Join the live conversation about how one rural broadband provider made gigabit broadband a reality in their hometown—and how that impacts the business of agriculture across the community. But don’t just take our word for it, see it for yourself in an immersive virtual reality video demonstration following the discussion. 

2:30 p.m.– 2:50 p.m.
EXPO Live: Step Inside a Smart Rural Community (repeat)
 

2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 
Women In Telecommunications  

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. 
RWA Committee Meeting 

5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. 
NTCA Rural Broadband PAC/RTAF Special Event: Enchanted Evening at Desert Botanical Gardens  

Wednesday, February 19

7:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 
CONFERENCE CENTRAL

7:45 a.m.–8:45 a.m. 
Excellence Awards Breakfast 

8:45 a.m.–9:45 a.m. 
Business Session 

10:00 a.m.– Noon 
CLOSING GENERAL SESSION 

Work that Matters 
Jeff Civillico, Las Vegas Headliner, TV Host Personality, and Philanthropist 
Civillico, an established Las Vegas headliner, enables a renewed sense of passion and purpose for work and life. Through a series of strategic pivot points, he was able to flip hardships into assets and secure a contract as a relatively unknown entertainer with the powerhouse Caesars Entertainment for his own headline show at The Flamingo Hotel & Casino. His hilarious story of fighting through the cutthroat politics of the entertainment industry in Las Vegas is eye opening and powerful. He pushes attendees to walk away more engaged with what you do, and why you do it.  

The Future of Universal Service – What is USF in 2030?
Michael Romano, Sr. Vice President of Industry Affairs and Business Development, NTCA

RTFC Report 
Sheldon Petersen, CEO, RTFC/CFC

Foundation for Rural Service Update
Pam Becker, Executive Director, FRS
FRS will discuss foundation happenings for the upcoming year. 

11:30 a.m. 
Foundation for Rural Service Golf Outing 

Noon 
Conference Adjourns