John Klatt began working for Amery Telecom in 1981 as a summer employee while attending college. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in general business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1984. After returning to Amery Telecom he was later hired as General Manager of Cochrane Telephone Cooperative. In 1989 John was hired as General Manager of Luck Telephone Company in Luck, Wisconsin.
In 1995 Luck Telephone Company and five local Independent Telephone companies purchased a regional cable television company, and John managed that initiative and served as President of the resulting company, Vision Communications, LLC. Motivated by the Telecommunications Rewrite Act of 1996 and taking effect in 1997, Luck Telephone Company and Milltown Mutual Telephone Company merged to form Lakeland Communications, Inc. John was promoted to the Board and became President of the Board of Directors and CEO of the corporation, and he currently serves in those capacities.
In 2007 John was awarded the NTCA Life Achievement Manager Award. John served as a Wisconsin State Telephone Association (WSTA) Board member (1994-2000) and as President in 2000. He was recently elected to the WSTA’s Hall of Fame in 2013. John also is a past Board member and served as President of Wisconsin Locally Owned Telephone Association in 2011. He is an RSA 1 Cellular Partnership-Board Member, Access Wisconsin-Board Member, and member of the Village of Luck Planning Commission and Redevelopment Authority. Also, is Board member of Polk County Economic Development Corporation. He currently is a Trustee of St. Dominic’s Parish and a member of Knights of Columbus. He has also served as Parish Council and as Chairman.