Tom Whitaker to Prepare Members for Day-to-Day Broadband Challenges

NRTC Broadband Solutions in August welcomed Tom Whitaker to the newly created position of VP, Member Operations. Whitaker’s role fits with NRTC’s overall goal of enhancing consulting services to members by offering the knowledge and advice of those with experience in the broadband field.

“I’ve seen from the member perspective how dedicated NRTC is to serving and supporting rural broadband providers. Now, I can offer my experience to those valued members as they continue to deliver broadband to underserved rural communities,” Whitaker said.

His role will be to continue NRTC support to broadband members after network construction after they launch service and begin day-to-day operations. He will analyze and assess operational plans to predict potential issues in the future and be there to help members as new challenges arise.

Whitaker comes to NRTC after 16 years in several operations positions at Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel), a rural Virginia internet and cable TV provider. Among his accomplishments, he led a Shentel team that established Glo Fiber, the company’s multi-gigabit fiber-to-the-home service based on XGS-PON network technology.

Over his wider 37-year career in network construction and operations, Whitaker also has worked with wireless networks. That experience will fit NRTC members that are interested not only in state-of-the-art FTTH service, but those that also will reach the last mile in remote areas with fixed wireless links.