NGN Connect Annual Meeting Reviews 2017 and Sets Sights on 2018 Goals

On November 29^th,  NGN Connect held its fifth Annual Meeting at The Torch Dahlonega, inviting members to come together to reflect on 2017 successes and discuss 2018 goals.

NGN Connect Chairman Charlie Auvermann began the meeting by welcoming members and emphasizing the vital role that broadband, data, and technology will have in preparing our next generation for 2100 and beyond.  The children of today, he explained, will be ushering in a new era of education and work, and this coming millennium is “sooner than we think.”  NGN Connect and the services it provides will help our communities seize the opportunities new innovations provide.

Michael Foor, NGN Connect President, reflected on the company’s major achievements from the year.  These included the continued integrity of the network and NGN Connect’s further investment in construction personnel and equipment – an investment that allowed the company to connect and serve more people than ever before.  Foor also spoke on NGN Connect’s participation in the Broadband Communities Regional Conference in Atlanta.  Click here to view a recap of the event.

Another area of growth was NGN Connect’s membership base, as explained by Donna Unger, NGN Director of Business Development.  At the time of the meeting, NGN Connect had installed over 128 new members in 2017; a 68% increase over the number connected in 2016 and a 300% increase from 2015!

One of these newly connected members was Dahlonega Electric Supply, this year’s Annual Meeting Member Spotlight.  Dalton Graham represented the local business and spoke about how NGN Connect’s fiber optic service had positively impacted Dahlonega Electric’s business.  Listen to his comments in the video below.

David Little, Vice President of Network Operations for NGN, shared that NGN’s 2017 Core Network Availability was 100% and gave an overview of the growth of NGN Network Operations throughout the year.  NGN recently added a core point-of-presence (POP) in Cleveland, Tennessee.  With this addition, NGN is able to get internet from both a northern and southern source, thereby protecting users from outages due to loss of connectivity to Atlanta or hardware failure.

Michael Foor then discussed the vision for NGN Connect in the coming year.  2018 initiatives include:

• The expansion of NGN Connect Voice Services.
• The introduction of NGN Connect Managed Services to the company’s product line-up.
• A continued focus on business and commercial offerings that enhance economic growth within our communities.

Jason Davis, Chairman of the Credentials and Elections Committee, presented the results from the two Annual Meeting ballot items as follows:

• The proposed amendments to the NGN Connect Bylaws were approved by a majority vote.
• David C. Foster was elected by a majority vote as a Member Director on the NGN Connect Board for a three year term.

Thank you to all the members that joined us for this year’s meeting, our Credentials and Elections Committee, and a special thanks to Dalton Graham for sharing Dahlonega Electric’s experience with NGN Connect. We look forward to another exciting year!