Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Mike Higgins, President
CEO / GM
Central Texas Telephone Coop- West Central Wireless
(325) 944-9016 | mikeh@wcc.net
- 1982: BBA Finance Texas A&M University
- 1986: MBA Management Oklahoma City University
- 1976: Eagle Scout
Past/Present Professional Community Activities:
- Leadership San Angelo 1992
- United Way Co-Chair Small Business Division 1995
- Chamber of Commerce Director
- American Heart Association Board President 1995-1997
- West Texas Rehab Board Member
- Youth Basketball & Baseball Coach & Football Coach
- District Executive Committee Boy Scouts of America
- Rural Telecommunications Group Board Member & President 2005-2007
- 1983 – 1986: Eastman Kodak Company, Direct Sales
- 1986 – 1987: Enterprise Computer Systems, Direct Sales
- 1987 – 1988: Clarke Check Company, Direct Sales
- 1988 – 1991: Cellular Info Systems, National Sales Manager
- 1991 – Present: West Central Wireless, General Manager
- 2003 – Present: Central Texas Telephone Coop, Chief Executive Officer
David Dengel, Vice President
CEO/GM
Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative
(907) 835-7701 | ddengel@cvtc.org
Dave Dengel serves as the Chief Executive Officer/General Manager for Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative, a rural local exchange carrier in rural Alaska, with over 5,000 access lines, and wholly owned subsidiaries with over 2,500 wireless subscriber lines, a long distance reseller, and an internet provider with over 1,600 subscribers. CVTC has consolidated net operating revenues of over $15 million. Copper Valley’s wireline service area is over 9,600 square miles with six exchanges serving rural Alaska from Prince William Sound to the Alaska Range. Its wireless service area serves approximately 15,000 square miles.
Since beginning with Copper Valley, Dave has overseen the deployment of digital wireless technology, doubling the number of cell sites and increasing wireless subscribers by 100 percent. Copper Valley Telephone is also experiencing competition from a statewide cable television operator.
Prior to his tenure with Copper Valley Telephone, Mr. Dengel served as the City Manager for the City of Valdez, Alaska for seven years.
Dave and his wife Leila have lived in Alaska since 1982 and have two children ages 19 and 24.
Dave has a Master of Science degree in Rural, Town and Regional Planning from the University of Montana and a Bachelor of Science in Resource Management from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.
Associate Board Members
Patti Dominach, Secretary
Director of Marketing
Pario Solutions, Inc.
(214) 749-1997 | p.dominach@pariosolutions.com
Patti Dominach began her career in the telecommunications industry in 2000 when she joined Pario Solutions as a Business Development Manager. Her original role in the company was to support and expand the company’s wireline business initiatives. In 2003, Ms. Dominach was promoted to the position of Director of Marketing where she became responsible for all of Pario’s marketing and communication activities. Today, Ms. Dominach works closely with the company’s partners in order to successfully market Pario’s products and hosted mobile solutions that serve wireless rural carriers. Prior to working with Pario, Patti worked for Federal Express holding positions in customer service, technical sales support, telephone sales, and as an account executive responsible for corporate sales.
Ms. Dominach holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Rutgers University in New Jersey and an Associate Degree in Marketing.
George Woodward, Treasurer
President, CEO
GetLisa Information Services, Inc.
(303) 442.6653 | gwoodward@getlisa.com
Since joining GetLisa in mid 2004, George Woodward has led the transformation of the company to a leadership position in community-based, mobile site publishing. He oversees strategic operations and is responsible for the corporate vision, business direction and investor relations.
Prior to joining GetLisa, George was Managing Director of Cross Creek Consulting. Founded in 2001, the company focused on the wireless industry and assisted high tech companies with the promotion of their products to domestic wireless carriers.
George started his career with Data 100 Corporation as a Systems Engineer and subsequently as Technical Instructor. After being acquired by Nortel Networks, he held management positions for several divisions at Nortel. He later joined MCI to oversee Operations and Sales for North Texas. After returning to Nortel, he went on to secure several multi-million dollar contracts with many of the most successful wireless carriers in the United States. He also built successful sales organizations focused on rural and regional carriers and personally formed the strategy and led the team that captured over a billion dollars of business from AT&T Wireless Services.
George left Nortel after a combined 19 years of service for an Officer’s role at TruePosition, a high tech provider of wireless location systems. At TruePosition George was responsible for Domestic and International Sales, Business Development, and Marketing.
Voting Carrier Board Members
Steven D. Lysne
CEO/General Manager
SRT Communications, Inc. Minot, ND
Steve Lysne is the CEO/General Manager of SRT Communications Inc., a Local Exchange Carrier that provides Telephone, Long Distance, Wireless PCS, Broadband Internet and CATV services to over 40,000 customers in Minot, North Dakota and the surrounding region. SRT employs over 200 people with annual revenues of over $45,000,000 and total Assets of over $107,000,000. Steve has worked at SRT for 15 years and prior to being the CEO, held the positions of Accounting and Finance Director and CFO/Assistant General Manager.
Steve is currently on the Board of Directors of two Rural Cellular Corporations in North Dakota. He also serves on the Boards of Dakota Carrier Network , North Dakota Telecommunications Association, Trinity Health Services of Minot, and the Minot Area Development Corporation.
Prior to his employment at SRT, Steve worked 12 years as a Certified Public Accountant, 10 years with the regional accounting firm of EideBailly. Steve specialized in the audits of utilities, cooperatives, governmental agencies and also had experience in auditing mutual funds. He also performed a variety of other professional services including depreciation studies, business valuations, internal control studies, compliance audits and tax services.
Steve Lysne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of North Dakota, 1982. He received his CPA (Certified Public Accountant) Certificate in September of 1983 and is a current member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the North Dakota Society of CPA’s.
Raised near Leeds, North Dakota, Steve now lives with his wife Kari in their home near Minot. Steve and Kari have four daughters, two who are still at home and two who are married and live in the Twin Cities area.
John Nettles
President
Pine Belt Communications, Inc, & Subsidiaries
(334) 813-3001 | john@pinebelt.net
John C. Nettles is the President of Pine Belt Communications, Inc. and its operating subsidiaries. John grew up working part time for Pine Belt, first serving as a technician’s assistant at age 14 during the summer of 1973. He continued to work with the company through high school and college until 1982 when he entered active duty with the US Army. He is the youngest of five children born to Dr. and Mrs. James D. Nettles, on October 6, 1958.
John graduated from Catherine Academy in 1977 & entered the University of Alabama in the fall of that year. He received a Bachelor of Arts in History from there in December 1981. While at Alabama John was an active member of the Sigma Nu social fraternity, served as Senator from the School of Arts and Sciences with the Student Government Association and a member of the Jason’s Senior Men’s Honor Society.
John was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army in January 1982. He completed the Ordnance Officers basic Course at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland in August 1982 and then assigned as the Maintenance Platoon Leader with the 568th Engineer Company in Hanau, Germany. In March 1984 he was transferred to the position of Executive Officer with Maintenance Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Fulda, Germany. In September 1986 he returned to Aberdeen to attend the Ordnance Officers Advanced Course completing this training in March 1987 followed by an assignment with the Maintenance Management Center of the 710th Maintenance Battalion, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. In September 1988, John voluntarily separated from the US Army at the rank of Captain to assume full-time employment with Pine Belt. In January 1993 he earned his MBA from the University of Alabama’s through its Executive MBA program.
In the time that John has been with Pine Belt, the company has expanded from a single service regulated local exchange carrier with just under $3 million in total assets to its current profile of a diversified, multi-service carrier with both regulated and de-regulated operations and approximately $35 million in total assets. Some of the more significant activities the company has been involved with under Nettles’ direction follows are listed below.
- Converted its ILEC plant to provide for 100% DSL eligible loops
- Participated in construction of one of the first operating rural cellular companies in Alabama as a 25% partner in Southeastern Cellular
- Operated a DirecTV franchise from 1994 to 1999
- Opened 5 Radio Shack dealer stores which continue in operation today
- Acquired and built out the B Band cellular license for the Alabama counties of Marengo and Choctaw and the C-Block PCS license for the Selma Basic Trading area, consisting of Dallas, Perry and Wilcox Counties operating as Pine Belt Wireless
John is a past president of the Alabama Mississippi Telecommunications Association, is a current member of the Boards of Directors of the Selma-Dallas County Economic Development Authority, Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce, Church Street United Methodist Church – Selma, the Selma-Dallas County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity and a member of the Selma Rotary Club.
Carl A. Turnley
President
KTC Telecom
Vice President – PACE Communications
(337) 898-2255 | cat@kaplantel.net
Carl A. Turnley is President of KTC Telecom & Vice President of PACE Communications. He is responsible for financial planning, business research and development, marketing, and the continued growth and stabilization of both companies. Mr. Turnley began employment with Kaplan Telephone Company in 1990 as an installer/repairman. Over the years Mr. Turnley has furthered his telecommunications experience by working in all facets of the communications industry.
Mr. Turnley holds an MBA from Louisiana State University. Mr. Turnley also has continued his telecommunications education by attending various schools and seminars. Mr. Turnley currently serves on the RICA board of directors.
Rick Vergin
CEO
Mosaic Telecom, Cameron, Wisconsin
Rick Vergin is the Chief Executive Officer of Mosaic Telecom (formerly Chibardun Telephone Cooperative) in Cameron, Wisconsin, a position that he has held since 1994. He has been employed at Mosaic for the past 32 years. Before becoming CEO, Rick served as the Central Office Supervisor and was in charge of the cable TV systems. He serves on the Board of Directors of several industry organizations including the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association (WSTA) and Rural Independent Competitive Alliance (RICA). He also serves on the NTCA Wireless Committee. Rick earned an Associate Degree in Electronics in 1977 and an Associate Degree in Management in 1994. Mosaic Telecom provides telephone, cable TV, broadband Internet and 3G cellular service to northwest Wisconsin.
Rick is married to Lori Roemhild-Vergin. Rick and Lori have four children: Nicole, Kasey, Brittany and Darren. Rick’s hobbies include spending time with his wife and hunting with his son.
Bill Wade
General Manager
Mid-Rivers Cellular / Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative
(406) 485-3301 | billw@midrivers.com
Bill Wade began working at Mid-Rivers in 1979 working several supervision and management positions throughout his career at Mid-Rivers before becoming the General Manager of Mid-Rivers Communications.
Mid-Rivers serves a very rural portion of Eastern Montana and provides services such as Wireless, CATV, Internet, ITV, Long Distance and CLEC services.
Bill serves on telecommunications boards for RICA, RTG, the Montana Cable Telecommunications Association and the NTCA Wireless committee.