Congratulations to the 2025 Award Winners
James L. Bass Manager Life Achievement Award
Trevor Bonnstetter
CEO (retired), WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative (Mayfield, Ky.)
Throughout his 27-year career at WK&T, Trevor consistently demonstrated a visionary and strategic approach to leadership that has rippled across the organization and its operations. Becoming CEO in 1998, he grew the company to serve four states, with 100% of its cooperative customers served by gigabit connectivity. His pursuit of a grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allowed WK&T to future-proof its network with buried fiber. Through multiple mergers and acquisitions, Trevor prioritized the strategic benefits and human elements of the transactions, focusing on employee and customer retention. He led the charge to develop the WK&T Technology Park, which now includes offices for high-tech industries, incubator space for startups, retail space, restaurants, classrooms for higher education, and more. Trevor was instrumental in the launch of IRIS Networks in 1998 which now serves over 250 communities and has over 5,000 miles of advanced optical network. He is an active member of the Tennessee Broadband Association and Kentucky Rural Broadband Association. He has served on the boards of NECA and NRTC and on many local boards.
James L. Bass Director Life Achievement Award
Joe Roper
Director, Ben Lomand Connect (McMinnville, Tenn.)
During his 44-year tenure on the Ben Lomand Connect Board, Joe has been instrumental in transforming the company into a leading gig-certified broadband provider. His leadership during pivotal industry shifts, including introducing fiber optic technology and establishing subsidiary companies, reflects his forward-thinking approach and commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements. Ben Lomand received over $61 million in grants during his tenure, allowing it to address critical connectivity gaps in its community. As board president in 1990, Joe led the company through a significant network redesign, introducing fiber optic technology and enabling the provision of modern services. Joe was key in establishing the cooperative's first subsidiary, championed the formation of a CLEC, and facilitated a partnership with Volunteer Electric Cooperative to establish Volunteer First Services in 2005. Joe has consistently participated in Ben Lomand’s lobbying efforts and has played a pivotal role in mentoring new board members. Joe’s ability to navigate leadership transitions and foster a cohesive board environment has been crucial in maintaining continuity and advancing the cooperative.
Associate Member Outstanding Achievement Award
Darren Dierbeck
Cofounder (retired), Vantage Point Solutions (Liberty Hill, Texas)
Darren and his five cofounders shook things up when they created Vantage Point Solutions in 2002. As his colleague Jacki Miskimins put it, “Founding VPS was a bold act, and the structure of the company was another.” The cofounders made the unusual decision to invest in customer relationships, becoming the first engineering company in the industry to have “sales guys”. Fast-forward 22 years, and that “start-up” now serves hundreds of broadband service providers coast-to-coast, has 11 brick-and-mortar offices across the country, employs nearly 550 staff, and has become a trusted voice in national regulatory and technical discussions. Darren was also a critical associate member voice when NTCA merged with OPASTCO. He served on NTCA’s Associate Member Advisory Council and numerous state boards and committees. He then encouraged others to take his place on these committees to help develop new and emerging leaders.
Jason Gibbs
Director of Network Operations, Twin Valley Communications (Miltonvale, Kan.)
Under Jason’s leadership, Twin Valley was among the first broadband providers in the nation to deploy four 400-Gig rings for the company’s backbone network. This initiative revolutionized Twin Valley’s network, ensuring it is more reliable and resilient. This advanced network architecture dramatically reduces the risk of outages and disruptions and has created a platform capable of supporting high-capacity 100-Gig and 10-Gig circuits. Twin Valley’s vast service area of more than 4,000 square miles now has a consistency and dependability previously unattainable in rural regions. Jason’s colleagues noted his exceptional ability to blend technical excellence with a deep understanding of community needs. By establishing a network infrastructure that surpasses even the connectivity found in many of the country’s largest cities, Jason has not only elevated Twin Valley’s service quality but also laid a foundation for substantial economic and workforce development throughout rural Kansas.
Key Employee Award
Mike Pollock
Chief Operating Officer, Nex-Tech (Lenora, Kan.)
Mike joined the Nex-Tech team in 2001 as information technology manager, demonstrating what his colleagues described as not only a passion for IT but also a commitment to his community. He quickly moved through the ranks at Nex-Tech, stepping in as CFO and becoming a crucial executive team member as COO. His oversight of the operations team has led Nex-Tech’s core service footprint to grow to over 11,000 square miles; all served with fiber. During his tenure, Mike built a cybersecurity team and has become an industry-leading voice on best practices and greater cyber preparedness, serving on the NTCA Cyber Working Group. In 2022, after realizing how difficult it was to hire staff with technical skills in western Kansas, Mike worked with the North Central Kansas Technical College to resurrect its telecommunications program and implemented a technology education sponsorship program. Mike is extremely dedicated to his work and has accepted every challenge and new role that has come his way over the past 24 years with tenacity and passion.
Outstanding Marketing Achievement Award
Megan Harper
Director of Marketing and Sales, Twin Valley Communications (Miltonvale, Kan.)
After Twin Valley acquired another company, Megan led the development and execution of a rebrand and refresh, which set Twin Valley up for success as the company entered new markets and competed with national brands. Megan led the marketing team to develop a digital strategy that contributed to a 50% increase in website traffic, improving customer experience and brand perception, and achieving a best-in-class NPS score of 12 points over the industry benchmark. Through comprehensive analysis, Megan helped improve strategic pricing, earning less than 1% churn in the most competitive markets despite unprecedented pressure. At a time of aggressive growth and planning for Twin Valley, Megan led a market research project to inform a strategy for future campaigns and initiatives, ensuring the right messaging is delivered to the right people at the right time.
Stephanie Arnold
Marketing Supervisor, Strata Networks (Roosevelt, Utah)
Recognizing the expansive role of technology in our lives, Stephanie identified the need to advocate against cyberbullying. She launched a cyberbullying awareness campaign, which included a #KindOnline social media series, a “take-one-leave-one” message board set up in two of Strata’s offices where the community could post positive messages, a new video and blogs on cyberbullying, and an online forum for comments. Strata's staff wore “Don’t Be Mean Behind the Screen” T-shirts to promote awareness. Stephanie’s leadership of this campaign demonstrated Strata’s belief that community-based internet providers have a unique opportunity to shape the digital landscape, advocating for safe online practices.
Heroism Award
Aaron Howing
Install and Repair Technician, Premier Communications (Sioux Center, Iowa)
Aaron risked his safety to help others in his community after Spencer, Iowa, experienced record-breaking flooding in June 2024. Howing and his brother learned that their aunt and uncle were stranded on the roof of their house and put their boat into the rising floodwater to shuttle their family to safety. They continued to work throughout the day, supplementing the efforts of the National Guard and first responders, ultimately rescuing more than 30 stranded citizens.