26th Annual Oregon Connections Telecommunications Conference
Oregon Connections 2024 – Program
THEME: Delivering Oregon’s Connected Future
DATES: October 30th – November 1st, 2024
| Wednesday, October 30th | |
| Time | Activity |
| Morning | Northwest Telecommunications Association (NWTA) Meeting – Open to the public |
| 2:00 – 5:00 | Oregon Broadband Advisory Committee (OBAC) Meeting – Open to the public |
| 5:30 – 9:30 | Opening Night Networking Mixer Hosted by COMCAST |
| Thursday, October 31st | |
| Time | Activity |
| 8:00 – 8:45 | Registration, Coffee and Breakfast |
| 8:45 – 9:30 | Welcome and Introductions with Joe Franell, Blue Mountain Networks |
| 9:30- 11:00 | Keynote Presentation - Steve Brown, AI Futurist - Sponsored by Calix - Telecom Tarot: Predicting Future Trends and Market |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Break / Room Transition |
| 11:15- 12:15 | General Session Panel #1- AI- Friend or Foe Discover how AI can help you and untangle potential perils. Moderator: Jim Teece, ProjectA Panelist: Alan DiCicco, VP of Product & Marketing Calix Panelist: (Venkat) KS Venkatraman, Nvidia |
| 12:15 – 12:30 | Break / Room Transition |
| 12:30 – 1:50 | Oregon Connections Award Luncheon – Sponsored by Astound Broadband |
| 1:50 – 2:15 | Break / Room Transition |
| 2:15 – 3:30 | Session- Joint Ventures Unconventional partnerships may be the answer we need to creatively close the digital divide Moderator: Deborah Simpier, Althea Panelist: Rachael Maddock-Hughes, Rural Prosperity Panelist: Steve Corbato, CEO Link Oregon Panelist: Brent Bischoff, Coos Curry Electric and Beacon Broadband Session- Around the State Perspectives from around the state on the experience of deploying broadband in Oregon’s diverse geography Moderator: Keith Grunberg, Director of Carrier, Government & Wholesale Hunter Communications NE Panelist: Blake Lawrence, CEO, Windwave SW Panelist: Bill Gerski, VP of Marketing/Sales, Beacon Broadband Central Panelist: Stuart Taubman, Head of Network Services, Zayo Mid Willamette: Rick Peterson, CEO, Peak Internet NW Panelist: Matt Updenkelder, VP, Infrastructure Development, Astound |
| 3:30 – 3:55 | Break / Room Transition |
| 3:55 – 5:25 | Session- Permitting Challenges & Processes Navigating local, state and federal permitting processes Moderator: David Soloos, Oregon Department of Transportation Pole attachments – Sam Ackley, COO from Hunter and OJUA member Local permitting – Daniel Soto from the City of Eugene State permitting – Nick Batz from OBO Federal permitting 1 - BLM (Joel Krestik, BLM Realty Specialist) Federal permitting 2 – USFS (Jennifer Whyte, USFS’ National Broadband Project Manager) Session- Marketing & Sales Staying ahead of the curve: Marketing tactics in competitive markets Moderator: Bill Gerski, VP of Marketing/Sales – Beacon Broadband/Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative, Inc. Panelist: Jay Tapp, Principal Partner – Laser Marketing Panelist: Remy Soubry, Sucess Account Manager – Calix Panelist: Jason Saunders, Sales & Marketing Manager – Minet/Willamette Valley Fiber |
| 5:25 – 5:30 | Break / Room Transition |
| 5:30 – 7:00 | Telecom Trick-or-Treat: Networking Mixer Exhibitor Fair and Reception |
| 6:30 – 8:00 | Fireside Chat Sponsored by the Oregon Broadband Office with Master of Ceremonies. Joseph Franell |
| Friday, November 1st | |
| Time | Activity |
| 7:30 – 8:30 | Registration, Coffee, Exhibitors’ Tables |
| 8:30 -9:30 | Keynote Presentation - Rural Development in Oregon Keynote – Margi Hoffmann, USDA Rural Development A look forward- How Oregon can create resiliency through locally driven efforts |
| 9:30-9:45 | Break / Room Transition |
| 9:45 – 10:45 | General Session Panel #2 Workforce Gaps Filling new and existing telecom positions as the current work force turns over Moderator: Seth Thompson, Broadband Project Coordinator, Business Oregon Panelist: Larry Johnson, President, FiberStory Panelist: Rebecca Jensen, SHRM-SCP, HR Director, Hunter Communications Panelist: Damon Runberg, State Economist, Business Oregon Panelist: Erik Hunsinger, President & Chief Operating Officer, Golden State Net Panelist: Shannon McGivney, Senior Director of Education, Machinist Institute |
| 10:45-11:00 | Break / Room Transition |
| 11:00-12:00 | General Session Panel #3 Digital Equity A discussion on what happens after broadband is deployed Moderator: Leina Gonzalez-Baird, Business Oregon Panelist: Pam Marsh, Oregon State Representative Panelist: Rebecca Brown, Comcast Pacific NW Region Panelist: Juan Muro, Free Geek |
| 12:00-12:30 | Conference Wrap-up and Prize Drawing |
| 12:30 | Adjourn |