Fiber Broadband Association Kicks Off Fiber Connect 2021

Nashville, Tenn., July 26, 2021—The Fiber Broadband Association kicked off the Fiber Connect 2021 event in Nashville, Tennessee, as it celebrates its 20 years of education and advocacy.

President and CEO of the FBA Gary Bolton, who opened the event in a packed hall at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center, reaffirmed the organization’s goal to help bridge the digital divide, while acknowledging individuals and organizations in the sector that have committed fiber deployment and education efforts across the country.

The 2021 Star Award, which is given to an entity that has “gone above and beyond” in its efforts to advance fiber to the home, went to Lit Communities, whose Brian Snider was there to receive it. (Lit Communities is a Broadband Breakfast sponsor).

Snider serves as the company’s CEO and was recognized for the work Lit Communities has done in Medina County, Ohio, officially becoming an internet service provider for the region. Snider stated he was proud of the work Lit has accomplished over the last year, but there was still more to come.

“We’re just getting started,” he said. “We have got a long way to go.”

The Photon Award, which is dedicated to those who have demonstrated a high level of dedication and contributions to the fiber industry, when to Mark Boxer of OFS. In 2019, Boxer was also the recipient of the same award for his work as an ambassador of the FBA, having authored several white papers and reports on its behalf. Presenter Joseph Jones of the FBA joked that the organization would soon need to rename the honor the “Mark Boxer Award.”

C Spire’s Ben Moncrief was also recognized for the Chairman’s Award for demonstrating tremendous effort to educate, promote, and accelerate fiber-to-the-home initiatives, and Silver Star Communities’ Barbara Sessions received Corning’s FTTXcellence Award for her work in Western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho.

Broadband Breakfast will be covering the rest of Fiber Connect 2021 until the conference ends on Wednesday.