2022 RTIME Agenda

Agenda

Agenda is subject to change. All times listed are Central time. Meetings will take place at the Sheraton Dallas.

Attending this conference earns you credits toward your NTCA certificate for course codes B104, G103, P102 and T109. Learn more about NTCA certificate programs.

Online-Only registration includes access to Opening and Closing General Sessions, all 22 concurrent sessions in the telco and director tracks, and the eXcellence Awards ceremony. These sessions will be livestreamed during the conference and available on-demand for re-watch following the conference.

Online Attendees
Access the conference by logging in to the RTIME conference website with the email address used to register for the conference (the password was emailed directly to attendees.)

ACCESS CONFERENCE WEBSITE     VIEW LIVESTREAMING AGENDA

Saturday, February 12

3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Conference Central
Visit Conference Central for general information on NTCA programs and conference events, badge printing, tech support and on-site registration.

5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
First-Time Attendee Reception
An opportunity for all first-time attendees at RTIME to meet industry colleagues, ask questions about the conference and take away some quick tips to make the most of your experience.

RSVP

Sunday, February 13

7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
Church Service

7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Conference Central
Visit Conference Central for general information on NTCA programs and conference events, badge printing, tech support and on-site registration.

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

9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Welcome to Dallas Session
Find out the best way to navigate the conference and the city of Dallas, and how to get to the tourist hotspots.

9:30 a.m.-11:00a.m.
NTCA Rural Broadband PAC Board Meeting

10:30 a.m.-Noon
Member Engagement Committee Meeting

11:00 a.m.-Noon
Awards Committee Meeting

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

1:00 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Director and Telco Track Sessions
DT=Director Track, TT=Telco Track
Director Tracks Sponsored by:

Telco Tracks Sponsored by:

Cybersecurity from a Director's Perspective (DT)
Cybersecurity remains a hot topic in the board room as recent cyberattacks continue to emphasize the importance of a resilient and redundant network. This session will cover how investments in cybersecurity are essential for any small business today, including a look at how some investments have paid off for broadband providers.

Selling Your Partnerships: How to Make a Partnership Work for Your Company (TT)
NTCA Marketing Committee
Telcos across the country are teaming up with local organizations or municipalities to deliver broadband services to more customers. Members of the NTCA Marketing Committee discuss how telcos can take advantage of these partnerships and how marketing plays a key role in messaging.

2:00 p.m.-2:45 p.m. 

States Taking the Lead—What Does it Mean for Rural Broadband? (DT)
Josh Seidemann, Vice President of Policy, NTCA
Over the past few years, federal money has flowed to the states to provide broadband funding and a new federal law is poised to deliver tens of billions of dollars more to states for broadband grants. Hear the latest on which states are out in front, what the process may look like and what models could be employed by others.

Broadband Permitting: Best Practices, Pitfalls and Hurdles (TT)
Brian Ford, Director of Industry Relations, NTCA
Nathan Weber, Vice President of Engineering, Vantage Point
A panel of experts will discuss broadband permitting at local, state and federal levels. Learn how others have found success obtaining access to rights-of-way, what mistakes you should avoid and how to streamline environmental and historical preservation reviews.

2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
CSSA Board Meeting

3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Regional Caucus Meetings
Sponsored by:

5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Welcome Reception + Game Day Party
Sponsored by:

GET LOUD as you network and cheer on the AFC and NFC Conference champions with your colleagues and see who will take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Monday, February 14

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

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7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
TIG Policy Holder Breakfast

7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
RUS Consulting Room | City View 4, Fourth Floor—Center Tower
Contact to schedule meeting:

Lee Martin, RUS General Field Representative (Oklahoma)
Cell Phone: (918) 637-0752
[email protected]

7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Conference Central
Visit Conference Central for general information on NTCA programs and conference events, badge printing, tech support and on-site registration.

8:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.
Opening General Session

Welcome Message From NTCA Board Chairman
H. Keith Oliver, NTCA Board Chairman and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Home Telecom

CEO Address
Shirley Bloomfield, CEO, NTCA
Hear insights on the political climate and policy initiatives, as well as overall industry and organizational perspectives.

Infrastructure Discussion
Shirley Bloomfield, CEO, NTCA
Matt Collins, EVP of Commercial Operations and Chief Marketing Officer, Calix
Matt Dunne, Executive Director, CORI
Kathryn de Wit, Broadband Project Director, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Opening Keynote Address: Make the Impossible Possible
Ben Nemtin, Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, Co-founder of The Buried Life Movement 
Get fresh inspiration from Ben Nemtin as he shares insight on the leadership of today and how driving teams to thrive requires new strategies for connecting and getting results. “Leading With Purpose” is what drives him to explain how effective leaders must go deeper and show empathy and understanding to help teams reach their true potential. When team members truly feel that their leadership and organization cares about their personal and their professional development, that is where the magic happens.  

9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Networking Central
Take a moment to relax and network with colleagues in a casual setting.

10:45 a.m.-Noon
EXPO Welcome

11:00 a.m.-Noon
Legal Committee

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

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Technical Committee

Noon-1:00 p.m.
NTCA eXcellence Award Winners Luncheon*
Sponsored by:

*Luncheon is by invitation only for this year’s eXcellence Awards winners and attendees from their companies.

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

1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Joint Industry and Regulatory Policy/Competitive and Advanced Services Committee Meeting

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

1:30 p.m.-2:15 p.m.
Director and Telco Track Sessions
DT=Director Track, TT=Telco Track

The Persistence of Mergers and Acquisitions in the '20s (DT)
Leo Staurulakis, CEO, JSI
Michael Balhoff, CFA, Senior Partner, Charlesmead Advisors, LLC
Despite an unprecedented business environment during the past two years, mergers, acquisitions and other business combination activities never slowed. What does the scene look like today and what should the discussions be in the board room? Discover the post-pandemic landscape and trends for activity coming in 2022.

Techno-Trends for the '20s (DT)
Learn about the latest technologies being used by businesses and consumers today and all the trends you need to know about for the year to come.

Employment Law for 2022 (TT)
With so many employment law changes over the past two years that impact small companies, it is hard to keep up. You will cover the top labor law stories for rural telcos to follow for 2022.

Cybersecurity—What is Coming Next? (TT)
This session will provide an overview of the current landscape of threat vectors and cyber risk for telcos today. You will also peek behind the CyberShare curtain to see what the small broadband provider ISAC has on its plate for the year ahead.

2:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
Director and Telco Track Sessions
DT=Director Track, TT=Telco Track

Preparing Your Culture for a Partnership (DT)
Joe Buttweiler, Director of Business Development, CTC
Andy Isackson, Director of Member Operations, CTC
Aaryn Slafky, Director of Customer Experience, Pivot
You are the broadband ambassador in the community, but electric co-ops and municipalities are looking into expanding broadband in their areas. How can your company be part of these interesting partnerships without losing your company identity? How do you keep your strong culture intact while forging these new relationships?

CLEC and ILEC Business Opportunities—Two Parts of a Whole (DT)
See how telcos maintain an ILEC network through quality and service while pursuing new opportunities out in CLEC areas. Learn the different approaches to each part of the business and how each enhances the other.

Futureproofing the Business (TT)
Associate Member Advisory Council (AMAC)
Uncover innovative and creative ways telcos are using technology and bandwidth to engage their communities, monetize their brands and create new streams of revenue that futureproof their business.

Rural Recruiting Done Right (TT)
Karen Jackson, President, Apogee Strategic Partners
It is no secret that the talent market is tighter than ever, and answers are few and far between. In this session you will learn strategies, ideas and tips for navigating a tight talent market and how companies are filling that talent pipeline.

3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
EXPO Open House and EXPO Forum

4:00 p.m.-4:20 p.m.
Presented by Pivot Group
Trivia With Pivot
What do you know about social media? That is not a question, it is a challenge. Bring your team and compete in a rigorous game of trivia to see who knows some common (and not so common) facts about the social web. What was the first form of social media? What did the first Tweet say? Who broke the internet? Learn these answers and more at Pivot’s trivia showdown.

4:35 p.m.-4:55 p.m.
Presented by DZS

6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
FRS Downtown Hoedown
Off-site event.

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Tuesday, February 15

7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Coffee + Donuts Breakfast

7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
CSSA Annual Meeting

7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Conference Central
Visit Conference Central for general information on NTCA programs and conference events, badge printing, tech support and on-site registration.

7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
RUS Consulting Room | City View 4, Fourth Floor—Center Tower
Contact to schedule meeting:

Lee Martin, RUS General Field Representative (Oklahoma)
Cell Phone: (918) 637-0752
[email protected]

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

8:15 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
Director Track Sessions

HR Trends Today (DT)
HR concerns continue to reverberate through every workplace and your operations staff is doing all they can to retain and strengthen their teams. Learn how other telcos are working on executive searches and getting traction with their talent programs.

Capital Credits 101 (DT)
David Cook, Partner, Autry, Hall & Cook, LLP
(Available for CLE credits)
It is always a good time for cooperative board members to get a refresher on capital credits. Whether new to the board or a seasoned veteran, we will cover everything you need to know, including bylaws, legal liabilities, distribution requirements and ethics.

8:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Broadband Funding Workshop
On Tuesday morning for the telco track (TT), we will bring together all the information you need to be ready for this once-in-a-generation investment in rural broadband.

Assessing Opportunity—Where to Begin? (TT)
Aaron Bennett, Vice President, Broadband Solutions, NRTC
Dave Lewis, Vice President, JSI
Tamber Ray, Regulatory Counsel, NTCA
As an unprecedented amount of funding is about to hit state broadband programs, you probably have a lot of questions. Let’s begin the conversation with, “How do you figure out which areas are eligible?” “How do you think about arranging partnerships or structuring operations to maximize likelihood of success?” “How do you think about supply chain and contractors?” “How do you ’price out’ what you will need to succeed?”

State Broadband Programs—How Can We Help? (TT)
Greg Bathrick, Director, Solutions Marketing, Calix
Michael Romano, Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs and Business Development, NTCA
Some states have been at the forefront of local broadband deployment efforts for years, while others will just be getting into the game for the first time with the new infrastructure funding. In either case, small broadband providers need to make sure new or revised broadband programs are getting the right kinds of services to the right areas.

States in the Driver's Seat—Are We There Yet? (TT)
Veneeth Iyengar, Executive Director, State of Lousianna
Chad Rupe, Broadband Program Manager, State of Montana            
Josh Seidemann, Vice President of Policy, NTCA
Come hear directly from representatives of state broadband offices about their views on timing, processes and their hopes for utilizing the funds coming through the new infrastructure framework.

A Multiplayer Game (TT)
Brian Ford, Director of Industry Affairs, NTCA
With such high levels of funding committed to rural broadband, all kinds of entities with various technologies will be drawn to seek support, even those who may never have provided broadband in rural areas before—or even at all. Learn who all of these players are likely to be and what their game plans may look like.

Making Your Best Case for Funding (TT)
Jill Canfield, General Counsel, NTCA
Andrew Lipman, Partner, Morgan Lewis, LLP
Larry Thompson, CEO, Vantage Point
An increase in competition for funding means that your applications need to stand out from the crowd. Hear experts discuss best approaches to drafting grant applications, including lessons learned from prior application efforts and what twists the new program might present.

9:15 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Director Track Sessions

Bring out the B.E.S.T.
Effective leaders are those who strive to know their peers as people, not just units of production. In this fast-paced program, you will learn the benefits of a diverse board, how to build better board relationships, and appreciate the B.E.S.T. in the people around you—all while having some fun. 

Director Roles and Responsibilities (DT)
This session is geared for those who have a basic understanding of corporate governance but want a deeper understanding of what should be expected of board members. The fundamentals of board governance will be covered.

9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Networking Central
Take a moment to relax and network with colleagues in a casual setting.

10:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Director Track Sessions

Telecom Policy 101 for Directors (DT)
Molly O'Leary, Director of Government Affairs, NTCA
Tamber Ray, Regulatory Counsel, NTCA
(Available for CLE credits)
Let us face it: telecommunication policy is a challenging subject, even for the experts. This refresher is designed especially for new or nearly new directors providing an overview of where we have been, where we are and where we seem to be going with national telecommunications policy. Questions encouraged at this session.

The Critical Role of Board Policy (DT)
This session provides the legal essentials of updating your board policy manual, including how and when to revise existing policies or create new ones.

11:20 a.m.-Noon
Spouse Session—Nutrition with Lindsey Ray
Lindsey Ray, Owner, Eat Pray Lift Nutrition Coaching

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Exclusive Telco Executive Luncheon in EXPO

Sponsored by:

1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
FRS Board Meeting

1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
EXPO + EXPO Forum

1:30 p.m.-1:50 p.m.
Presented by Consolidated CCS and Intelis

2:00 p.m.-2:20 p.m.
Presented by Calix
Building a Business for Sustainable Growth
It is no longer enough to bet your business on delivering only fast and reliable broadband. Your subscribers expect more, and the competition for their loyalty is heating up. Subscribers are looking for new, innovative and managed services that are designed to help them control the way they work, learn, game, exercise and entertain from home as well as protect it. The leaders in our industry have a strategy to become exceptional at three key things: exciting their subscribers with tailored experiences, monetizing these subscriber experiences and securing the funding needed to fuel their growth.

2:35 p.m.-2:55 p.m.
Presented by Aha! Creative
21st Century Telecom Marketing—Moving Beyond One Size Fits All
National advertising agency Aha! Creative discusses how the right blend of advanced 21^st century and traditional techniques create an ideal marketing environment for 21^st century telecoms. Learn how the agency goes beyond “one message for everyone” by identifying your different target audiences, creating effective messaging for your different audiences, delivering that message where your different audiences will see it, and tracking your campaign results with an actual measurable ROI.

1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Smart Rural Community Advisory Council Meeting

2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
NRTC Annual Meeting

2:45 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Innovation and Business Opportunity Committee Meeting

3:00 p.m-4:30 p.m.
Women in Telecommunications Industry Roundtable + Reception
Karen Cortell Reisman, Communication Expert, Author and Coffee Ice Cream Eater
Make connections with other women in the industry and share your challenges, successes, opportunities for advancement, career building strategies and tips on making your mark in your field.

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5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Evening Event with NTCA Rural Broadband PAC at AT&T Stadium
Off-site event.

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Wednesday, February 16

7:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Conference Central
Visit Conference Central for general information on NTCA programs and conference events, badge printing, tech support and on-site registration.

8:00 a.m.-8:45 a.m.
Breakfast

8:15 a.m.-8:45 a.m.
eXcellence Awards Presentation
Sponsored by:

 

 

Celebrate the recipients at the eXcellence Awards ceremony as eight colleagues are recognized for achieving excellence in 2021 in their industry and communities.

9:00 a.m.-9:45 a.m.
Business Session

9:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Closing General Session
Hear from the best in the business and key leaders as they close out the conference with key takeaways and the next steps to the move the rural broadband industry in the right direction.

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

Drone Technology and Advances
Michael Ott, CEO, RANTIZO
Drone technology is transforming agriculture, utilities, and healthcare—especially in rural applications. Uncover the latest trends and advances happening in the world of drones.

Economic Landscape
John Suter, Vice President of Economic Research, RTFC
NTCA’s closing session is sponsored by the Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative. We’ll get an economic update from John Suter of RTFC.

Thinking Like a Magician: The Magic of Innovation, Imagination and Intuition
Keelan Leyser, Digital Illusionist, Technology Magician
Sponsored by:

In this highly interactive presentation, Keelan Leyser will show you how to flex and strengthen the muscles of the mind by unleashing the power of your imagination, innovation and intuition by "thinking like a magician"—three powerful mental skills that often get sidelined by a dependence on data as a key business driver.

NTCA RTIME 2022 Adjourns

Noon-5:00 p.m.
FRS Annual Golf Outing
Off-site event.

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