The Leading Event for Building the Connected Future
Legend
| MULTIFAMILY TRACK (Waterway Ballroom 4-5 & Waterway Ballroom 1-3) |
EDITOR'S CHOICE (Waterway Ballroom 1-3 & Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
| GUIDE TO COMMUNITIES' OVERCOMING BEAD OBSTACLES (Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
WORKSHOPS (Waterway Ballroom 1-3 & Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
| FUNDING UPDATES (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
KEY LEGAL ISSUES PUBLIC BROADBAND INITIATIVES FACE (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
| SUCCESS STORIES (Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
INDEPENDENT OPERATORS MEETING (Waterway Ballroom 1-3) |
| CONFRONTING AND SOLVING THE PROBLEMS WE'RE ALL WORRYING ABOUT (Waterway Ballroom 1-3 & Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
CLIC-AAPB PROGRAM (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
| PARTNERSHIP MODELS (Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
EXHIBIT HOURS (Town Center South) |
| FOOD/SOCIAL FUNCTIONS | |
MAY 1–4, 2023
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in The Woodlands, Texas
* * * * * PLEASE NOTE ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL TIME (CDT) * * * * *
MONDAY, MAY 1 |
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| 7:00 am – 5:00 pm | Contractor Move-In (Town Center South) |
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| 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Exhibitor Move-In (Town Center South) |
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| 10:00 am – 5:00 pm | Registration Open (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area) |
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| 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm |
(Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
(Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Local governments are increasingly making key broadband infrastructure decisions, as owners, operators, or partners. The Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC) and the American Association for Public Broadband (AAPB) support public entities in making informed broadband decisions to enable economic development and a better quality-of-life for their communities for decades to come. This three-hour workshop hosted by CLIC and AAPB will focus on: (1) the critical role of broadband partnerships in America’s broadband future and the key features of successful partnerships; (2) How to fight back against organized misinformation campaigns designed to derail public broadband initiatives and partnerships; and (3) What communities can do to identify and resist state measures that may explicitly or effectively exclude them from eligibility for federal, state, and other funding resources. Panelists: Peggy Schaffer – Board Member, American Association of Public Broadband Angela Bennink – General Manager, Kitsap PUD Christopher Mitchell – Director, Community Broadband Networks, Institute for Local Self-Reliance |
(Waterway Ballroom 1-3) Independent Internet Provider Executive – IIPEPrivate Meeting (By invitation only) |
| 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm |
(Waterway Ballroom 6-8) Financial Modeling WorkshopPresenter: Steve Ross – Editor at Large, Broadband Communities |
(Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Continuing Legal Education (CLE): CLE credit is available, pending individual state approval. Legal issues play a critical role at every stage of a broadband project, from preliminary assessment to ongoing operation and regulatory compliance. This interactive workshop will highlight the key legal issues at each stage. Topics to be addressed include identifying and dealing with potential state barriers to entry; maximizing funding opportunities; developing strategic partnerships; securing access to infrastructure, content, and customers; establishing effective governance structures; coping with evolving cybersecurity and privacy requirements; implementing 911 and other emergency management rules; drafting effective agreements of many kinds with contractors, customers, and others; complying with applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements; and much more. No matter what stage your broadband project may be in, this workshop is likely to provide you some helpful insights. Moderator/Panelist: Jim Baller – Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP Panelists: Casey Lide – Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP Tracy Marshall – Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP Sean Stokes – Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP Wes Wright – Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP |
(Waterway Ballroom 1-3) It's All About the ConnectionNothing can happen without that final connection being made: The fiber reaches the building and is connected to the network. Dive more deeply into specific scenarios where applications needed custom approaches, including deployments in MDUs, college campuses and even a floating data center. Panelists: Kelly P. Weissmann – Sr. Manager Technical Training and Support, Clearfield Inc. Marty Adkins – Applications Engineer, Clearfield, Inc. |
| 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
(Waterway Ballroom 6-8) Investment Ready: A Crash Course on How to Present Your Project to InvestorsCalling all private fund seekers, whether you're a community or a technology provider, looking for advice on making your best pitch to the money guys. Panelists: Mike Faloon – COO, Ready.net David Hartin – President, ITC Holdings |
(Waterway Ballroom 1-3) How to Tell Your Broadband StoryPanelist: Lauren Gaydos – Director, Glen Echo Group |
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| 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Welcome Reception (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area) |
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| 8:00 pm | Private Reception (Montgomery Ballroom A) (By invitation only) Sponsored by American Association for Public Broadband |
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TUESDAY, MAY 2 |
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| 7:00 am – 6:00 pm | Registration Open (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area) |
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| 7:00 am – 1:00 pm | Exhibitor Move-In (Town Center South) |
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| 8:00 am – 9:00 am |  Continental Breakfast (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area) Sponsored by Mears |
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| 8:00 am – 8:10 am | OFFICIAL WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Introduction: Barbara DeGarmo – CEO, Broadband Communities |
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| 8:20 am – 9:10 am | GENERAL SESSION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Great Communities Take a deep-dive into our impressive communities, chosen to highlight what’s possible with highspeed deployment and how fantastic it can be to live in a broadband-enhanced community. You will hear from both the developers and the service providers regarding the goals both parties came to the table with and how they achieved them, overcoming any obstacles in the process, thanks to technology. Moderators: Valerie Sargent – Multifamily News Correspondent, Broadband Communities Sean Buckley – Editor-in-Chief, Broadband Communities UnCommons: Jim Stuart – Partner, Matter Real Estate Guillermo Rivas – Vice President, New Business Development, COX Communities The Marshall: Dan Myers – CEO, Dojo Networks |
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| 9:20 am – 9:50 am |
GENERAL SESSION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) KEYNOTE: What's New, What's Awesome: The Next-Level Applications Being Introduced on Fiber Networks Keynoter: TBA |
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| 10:00 am – 10:20 am | GENERAL SESSION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Funding: What's Out There and How to Get It Introduction by: Hilda Legg – Consultant, Legg Strategies Keynoter: Andy Berke – Administrator, Rural Utilities Services (RUS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) |
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| 10:30 am – 12:00 pm | GENERAL SESSION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Funding Updates: Federal, State, Local Government Funds Moderator: Angie Kronenberg – President, INCOMPAS Panelists: Laurel Leverrier – Assistant Administrator, Telecommunications Programs, Rural Utilities Service (RUS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Evan Feinman – Director, Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, U.S. Department of Commerce, NTIA Joseph Wender – Director, Capital Projects Fund, U.S. Department of theTreasury Trent Harkrader – Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC |
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| 12:10 pm – 12:50 pm | GENERAL SESSION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Private Funding Sources Get Into the Act Moderator/Panelist: Mike Faloon – Founder & COO, Ready.net Panelists: Butch Brock – Vice President, ITC Holdings Jake Tarr – Managing Director, Kinetic Ventures |
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| 12:50 pm – 1:30 pm | GENERAL SESSION / GRAB AND GO LUNCH (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area / Waterway Ballroom 4-5) RUS Amigos: Administrators' Views on 20 Years of Broadband Funding What Worked, What Hasn't, What's Left to Do for the Next 20? Panelists: Hilda Legg – Consultant, Legg Strategies Brandon McBride – Executive Director, Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Andy Berke – Administrator, Rural Utilities Service (RUS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) |
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 The Multifamily Program is Presented in Partnership with the NMHC |
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| MULTIFAMILY TRACK / ROOM #1 (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
ROOM #2 (Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
ROOM #3 (Waterway Ballroom 1-3) |
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| 1:40 pm – 2:40 pm | National Multifamily Housing Council Connectivity Town Hall – Part 1 Join us for the National Multifamily Housing Council’s (NMHC) Connectivity Town Hall and experience a fast-paced and interactive examination of tech, connectivity and innovation in the industry. With much action at the FCC of late, you’ll also receive a regulatory update from Washington; hear what’s in store at OPTECH 2023 and see highlights of the top tech and telecom trends and needs driving innovation in the multifamily industry today. NMHC has again partnered with Broadband Communities to present the Multifamily Track. Broadband Communities and NMHC share a goal of connecting multifamily industry professionals and their provider partners to ensure both sides of the industry obtain the education necessary to continue to grow together. The content is designed to have NMHC’s OPTECH and the Broadband Communities Summit build off one another. Panelists: TBA |
1:40 pm – 4:20 pm A guide to communities seeking to determine the best way to manage their broadband futures, specifically addressing the options and opportunities for overcoming some of the obstacles BEAD has created.Session 1: Finding Credible Technical Expertise: Questions and Considerations Moderator: Sean Gonsalves – Senior Reporter, Editor and Researcher, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) Panelists: Quentin Flippin – PE – Director of Engineering, Vantage Point Jenn Holtz – Regulatory Vice President, JSI Bruce Sheldon – Associate, Business Development Manager, Colliers Engineering and Design Jeff Reiman – President, The Broadband Group Session 2: Who Will Run Our Networks? Moderator: Heather Gold – Vice President External Affairs, Mears Group, Broadband Division Panelists: Justin Roller – President, Bonfire Fiber Kimberly McKinley – Chief Marketing Officer, UTOPIA Carl Meyerhoefer – Senior Vice President Business Development, Conexon, LLC Amol S. Naik – Sr. Vice President of Public Policy, Government Affairs & Community Engagement, Ting Internet Session 3: How Will We Solve the Letter of Credit Issue? Moderator: Philip Macres – Principal, Klein Law Group, PLLC Panelists: L. Elizabeth Bowles – President & CEO, Aristotle Unified Communications, LLC Pierce Verchick – Head of Broadband Lending, LiveOak Bank Nancy White – Vice President, Business Development, National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation Session 4: Will Digital Equity Planning Be the "GOTCHA" of BEAD Funding? The ability to fully comply with the terms of the Digital Equity Act of 2021 will be critical to each state’s ability to achieve an acceptable five-year Broadband Plan and to receive any additional BEAD dollars. In this session, experts will review the how and the where of standard setting Digital Equity Planning and how these plans will roll up into the state broadband planning process. Moderator: Christopher Mitchell – Director, Community Broadband Networks, Institute for Local Self-Reliance Panelists: Denise Atkinson-Shorey – President, e-Luminosity Angela Siefer – Executive Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) Deb Fuglie – Broadband Consultant, Operations and Customer Success Leader, Solarity |
 Finding Solutions to Workforce Management and Employee Challenges Moderator: Kelly P. Weissmann – Sr. Manager Technical Training and Support, Clearfield Inc. Panelists: Harrison Hiner – Legislative and Political Director, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Deborah Kish – Vice President and Workforce Development, Fiber Broadband Association Christine Washington – Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications, Congruex Cesar Ruiz – President and CEO, Learning Alliance Corporation |
| 2:50 pm – 3:50 pm | Bulk vs. Managed Wi-Fi: What’s the Difference, and How to Deploy The term “Wi-Fi” is used for many things these days, and there is confusion around “unmanaged” internet. When defining the resident experience, it’s important to understand exactly what Bulk and Managed Wi-Fi mean for your asset. In this session, we will describe and define the difference between Bulk (a procurement practice) and Managed Wi-Fi (a technology). Understanding the pros and cons of a product and how it works for a particular community involves getting down to the basics of what owners need for smart home devices, deployment, remote management, and more. Discover the best practices for deploying different types of Bulk business models and/or a Managed Wi-Fi system for residential and commercial systems. The panel is set up in two halves, clearing up confusion of terms, definitions, players. Moderator: Steve Sadler – Vice President, Resident Technology Services, RealPage BULK: Christopher Merrell – Chairman, Communications Consulting Group Scott McGee – Executive Director, Multifamily Product & Devices, Comcast Bryan Rader – President, MDU, Pavlov Media Erik Spring – Vice President of Sales, BAI Connect Adam Moore – GVP, Community Solutions Customer Operations and Experience, Spectrum Community Solutions Managed Wi-Fi: Matt Passalacqua – Sr. Market Expansion Manager, West Coast, Astound Leo Delgado – Founder & President, Converged Services Inc. Zack Ebner – Senior Manager, Product Management, MDU/MTU, Quantum Fiber/Lumen Scott Buehrle – Vice President, Multifamily Sales and Strategy, Frontier Josh Lunsford – Assistant Vice President, Strategy & Enablement, Cox Communities |
2:50 pm – 4:20 pm Tribal BroadbandModerator: Joe Valandra – President & CEO, TribalReady Panelists: Scott Dinsmore – Vice President, TribalReady Marvin Weatherwax – Council Member, Blackfeet Tribe of Montana Gerad Godfrey – President, Alutiiq Professional Consulting, LLC Leslie Williams – Vice President Finance, Twenty-Nine Palms of Mission Indians; Member, Walker River Paiute Tribe 4:30 pm – 5:10 pm The Impact of Buy American Requirements on the IIJA Broadband Grant ProgramsModerator: Scott Woods – Vice President, Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Ready.net Panelists: Marissa Mitrovich – Vice President Public Policy, Fiber Broadband Association Melissa Newman – Vice President of Government Affairs, Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Michael Romano – Executive Vice President, NTCA |
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| 4:00 pm – 4:50 pm | What's New with the Cool Kids? Tech Marketing That Matters! See what’s coming with the latest trends that residents are requesting, so you can provide all the services they need. Let’s face it … Managed Wi-Fi is not a “sexy” sell. Join these marketing experts and learn how they market their connectivity packages, creating a strong tech marketing position for their multifamily communities. From self-guided tours to smart home; from centralization to EV charging stations: Discover what the top management companies look for from their service providers to attract and retain residents. Moderator/Panelist: Kate Good – Principal, Multifamily Development & Operations, Hunington Properties Panelists: Mike Whaling – President & Founder, 30 Lines Kim Grisvard – Vice President of Marketing, ROVR Julie Keel – Vice President, Marketing, Camden |
4:30 pm – 5:10 pm
Creative Financing Gurus Offer Alternatives Moderator: Kimberly McKinley – Chief Marketing Officer, UTOPIA Panelists: Laura Lewis – Principal & Owner, Lewis, Young, Robertson & Burningham, Inc. Larry White – Partner, Chapman Tom Coverick – Managing Director, Government, Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Municipal Broadband, KeyBanc |
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| 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm | National Multifamily Housing Council Connectivity Town Hall - Part 2 Continues ... Panelists: TBA |
5:20 pm – 6:00 pm State Broadband Offices and NTIA OfficialsHear from the gatekeepers to the BEAD funding on what they're doing, what they're hearing and what they want to know about you. Moderator: Andrew Mincheff – Director, Government Relations, INCOMPAS Panelist: Greg Conte – Director, Texas Broadband Development Office David Lehman – Program Manager, State of Louisiana, ConnectLA |
5:20 pm – 6:00 pm Overbuilding Heroes!Meet communities that have successful deployments in competitive environments. Co-Moderators: Christopher Mitchell – Director, Community Broadband Networks, Institute for Local Self-Reliance Sean Gonsalves – Senior Reporter, Editor and Researcher, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) Panelists: TBA |
| 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Exhibit Hall Opens – Refreshments (Town Center South) |
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| 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm |  Opening Night Cocktail Reception (Town Center North) Co-Sponsored by A10 Networks, Alta Fiber, Future Infrastructure, Innovative Systems and Mereo Network |
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 |
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| 7:00 am – 6:00 pm | Registration Open (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area) |
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| 7:45 am – 9:15 am | Continental Breakfast (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area) |
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| 8:30 am – 9:20 am | GENERAL SESSION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) It's All About the Customer: You Are, Afterall, Connecting to People, Not Addresses "Build it and they will come” isn’t a foolproof strategy outside of Hollywood. Understanding customers' needs – and meeting them – is essential to maximizing the success of your business. Join our superior service gurus in a wideranging chat about the game-changing benefits of being known for your quality of service. Moderator: Austin Karr – Pincipal, Monkeythis Panelists: Bryan Rader – President, MDU, Pavlov Media Kevin McFeeley – Sales, GOCare |
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| ROOM #1 (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
ROOM #2 (Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
ROOM #3 (Waterway Ballroom 1-3) |
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| 9:30 am – 10:20 am |
9:30 am – 11:20 am Mapping and Fabric Data: Confronting the MessFind out where we stand now on the FCC maps and get a chance to query the man who created them. Moderator: Scott Woods – Vice President, Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Ready.net Panelists: James Stegeman – President CostQuest Associates Dustin Loup – National Broadband Mapping Coalition Program Manager, Marconi Society Jeremy Jurick – Vice President, National Broadband Services Director, Michael Baker International |
9:30 am – 10:30 am Blood, Sweat and TearsDigital inclusion takes nitty-gritty, hard work! Moderator: Kirsten Compitello – National Broadband Digital Equity Director, Michael Baker International Panelists: Drew Garner – State Broadband Policy Advisor, Common Sense Media Richard Sherwin – CEO, SpotOn Networks Angela Siefer – Executive Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) Adeyinka Ogunlegan – Senior Director, Government Affairs and Policy, Education Superhighway |
Owners/operators want more streamlined options for prop tech. Join this session to learn how this ever-changing digital asset is becoming an asset class of its own in combination with Wi-Fi connectivity. These industry experts will share their insights on prop tech state of the industry, sharing insightful views on where we are today, tomorrow, and what to expect over the next five years. Exploring what disruptive technologies are driving competitive edge in leasing and retention, from Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 7 and the impact it will have on the QoE (Quality of Experience) of Wi-Fi connectivity for the residents and the pocketbooks of owners. How are smart home (HoT – Home of Things) devices, building access issues, and the ever-growing demand for EV charging stations impacting the communities of today? These experts will discuss how to invest capital in the right amount of technology by property class and market. Moderator: Greg McDonald – Executive Managing Director & CEO, McDonald Telecom Consulting LLC Panelist: Ian Davis – Telecommunications Attorney, Founding Partner, Davis Craig, PLLC Scott Casey – President & CEO, ROVR Cris Kimbrough – Senior Director, Smart Building Technology, Greystar Kate Good – Principal, Multifamily Development & Operations, Hunington Properties Paul Carter – VP Business Development, Dwelo Tray Johnson – Chief Technology Officer, Qwext |
| 10:30 am – 11:20 am |
Mapping continues ... Let's Talk About the Alternatives: Can States Find a Better Approach? Moderator: Scott Woods – Vice President, Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Ready.net Panelists: Jase Wilson – Founder & CEO, Broadband.Money Gerry Lawlor – Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Hexvarium |
10:40 am – 11:20 am Look What We Did With Our BroadbandCreative Solutions to Bridging the Digital Divide Moderator: Kirsten Compitello – National Broadband Digital Equity Director, Michael Baker International Panelists: William Wells – Executive Director, aSteam Village Stacey Mitchell – Co-Principal Investigator, Texas A&M University College of Nursing Teraira Snerling – Broadband Strategy Planner, Michael Baker International |
You may not be losing leases yet, but many municipalities will soon require charging stations. Are you ready for your electric vehicle charging needs? There are many considerations regarding connectivity that go into adding locations of chargers. From levels 1 to 3, what are your charging options? How can EV companies work easily with your broadband or cellular providers, what electrical infrastructure is needed, and how best to deploy? This is easy to figure out with new construction, but what about retrofits? Dig into possible EV charging needs and business models available for different asset classes. Explore ROI possibilities, ADA requirements, and potential tax credits available when implementing EV charging at your community to keep up with the demands of today’s resident. Moderator: Andrea M. Taylor – Director of Ancillary Services, Morgan Properties Panelists: Eric Roseman – Chief Revenue Officer, XEAL Lisa Moore – Director, Design Innovation, JPI Anup Parikh – CEO, Pangea Charging Whitaker Jamieson – Program Manager, Forth Eric Broughton – Chief Executive Officer, OK2Charge |
| 11:40 am – 12:40 pm | Exhibit Hall Open / Refreshment Break (Town Center South) |
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| 12:45 pm – 2:05 pm |  Cornerstone Awards Luncheon and Keynote Address (Town Center North) Sponsored by Verizon Keynoter: Gigi Sohn – Distinguished Fellow, Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy; Senior Fellow & Public Advocate, Benton; Host – “Tech on the Rocks” Podcast |
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| MULTIFAMILY TRACK / ROOM #1 (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
ROOM #2 (Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
ROOM #3 (Waterway Ballroom 1-3) |
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| 2:20 pm – 3:20 pm |
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm MDU Legal LeadersFCC and industry focused. The best way to keep your finger on the pulse of legal needs in the industry is to listen to top lawyers representing both MDU owners and providers as they engage one another in spirited debate on both sides of key industry issues, including addressing how the latest changes at the FCC will be impacting broadband in multifamily. Moderator: Linda Willey – Vice President of Business Services, Camden Panelists: Michael Turbes – Assistant Vice President, Senior Legal Counsel, AT&T Art Hubacher – Managing Member, Hubacher Ames & Taylor, PLLC Ian Davis – Telecommunications Attorney, Founding Partner, Davis Craig, PLLC Dan Glivar – Partner, Holland and Hart Carl Kandutsch – Attorney, Kandutsch Law Office |
Part 1: A New Deal for Broadband: Rural Electric Utilities Rise to the Rural Broadband Challenge This session addresses the unique opportunities and obstacles that rural electric cooperatives face as they step up to meet the need for broadband connectivity in frequently hard-to-reach areas in rural America, including the internal and external resources available to them and what the federal government and some state governments have done to encourage and facilitate their entry into providing broadband. It will also explore creative case histories, including some eye-opening partnerships that would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Moderator: Brian O'Hara – Senior Director Regulatory Issues, Telecommunications and Broadband, NRECA Panelists: TBA |
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm Critical Infrastructure: Real World Solutions for Communities, Operators, Investors Looking to Achieve a Super-Connected FutureModerator: Bob Knight – CEO, Harrison Edwards Integrated Marketing Segment 1: How to Position Your Community For a More Efficient Construction Process From pole attachments and easements to dig once policies and more. Panelists: Trent Edwards – Executive Vice President, Mears Group, Inc. Andrew Eubank – Senior Technical Solutions Engineer, VETRO Fiber Olaf Storaasli – Business Development Manager, Micro Technology, Dura-Line Joe Pellegrini – Chief Construction Officer, Great Plains Communications Segment 2: Navigating the Obstacles and Quality Control Panelists: TBA Segment 3: Saving Projects When good projects go rogue. Panelist: Barry Walton – Telecom Solution Architect, Corning |
| 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm |
3:40 pm – 4:40 pm Digital Equity in Multifamily – Expanding Broadband to Residents in NeedHow is broadband accessibility in multifamily impacting those who are in unserved and underserved markets? In this session we will explore the challenges in deploying, upgrading, and maintaining connectivity infrastructure in both affordable housing and lower-income communities; how best to approach technology solutions and ultimately boost resident broadband access and adoption. With a combination of funding sources out there for broadband providers, property owners, and renters, learn how to navigate the many moving parts and help achieve digital equity for those in need. Moderator: Angel Rogers – Director of Learning & Development, National CORE Panelists: Richard Sherwin – CEO, SpotOn Networks Joshua Edmonds – CEO, Digital C Courtney Richard – Vice President, Relocation, Property Management, National CORE Joseph Benson – Vice President of Business Development, PCs for People |
Accessibility, affordability, equity. As seasoned deliverers of essential services, counties and regionals are extremely well positioned to help ISPs and builders ensure targeted communities will adopt to the network after deployment is complete. This session will showcase examples of successful efforts. Moderator: Seamus Dowdall – Associate Legislative Director, NACo Panelists: David Kramer – Senior Director of Corporate Strategy and Development, Altafiber Gayle Conelly Manchin – Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) |
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| 4:40 pm – 5:40 pm |
4:50 pm – 5:40 pm Lessons Learned: Building Your Digital InfrastructureNow that we’ve been futureproofing with Managed Wi-Fi, Bulk models and implementing IOT solutions, what lessons have we learned? Take a deep dive and find out what has worked, and what hasn’t. Low voltage issues, obsolescence, cybersecurity considerations, invasive installations, general contractors without proper experience … all of these can lend to a project coming together or creating challenges. Discover what happens before and after deployment, including how online reputations are affected for the companies involved. It’s important to balance today’s needs against the potential needs five years from now. Learn what YOU need to know in this session. Moderator: Kaylon Ross – Sr. Director, Ancillary Services, AvalonBay Communities, Inc. Panelists: Patrick Bailey – ICS Advanced Services Dean Wolfe – Vice President, Technology and Vendor Relations, Choice Property Resources, Inc. Mike Smith – President & CEO, White Space Building Technology Advisors |
Moderator: Mike Faloon – COO, Ready.net Panelist: Butch Brock – Vice President, ITC Holdings |
Moderator: Roger Timmerman – Executive Director & CEO, UTOPIA Fiber Panelist: Katherine Songster – Communications Director, Harrison Edwards Integrated Marketing |
| 5:40 pm – 7:40 pm |  Exhibit Hall Cocktail Reception (Town Center South) Co-Sponsored by Quantum and Velox |
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| 7:40pm – 8:40pm | UTOPIA Documentary Screening (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
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| 7:40pm – | Networking Dinners – Privately Arranged | ||
THURSDAY, MAY 4 |
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| 7:00 am – 1:00 pm | Registration Open (Waterway Ballroom Prefunction Area) |
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| 8:00 am – 10:30 am |  Exhibit Hall Continental Breakfast and "Must be Present to Win" Drawings(Town Center South) Sponsored by Chapman and Cutler, LLP Big Cash Drawing During Thursday’s Exhibit Hall Breakfast: To qualify, players must visit each participating drawing sponsor where your entry will be verified. This drawing is only for attendees. Vendors cannot participate. Only one submission per person. Must be present to win. PLUS, exciting unveiling of game-changing technology for labor force training. |
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| 10:30 am – 5:00 pm | Exhibitor Move-Out (Town Center South) |
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| MULTIFAMILY TRACK / ROOM #1 (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) |
ROOM #2 (Waterway Ballroom 6-8) |
ROOM #3 (Waterway Ballroom 1-3) |
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| 10:30 am – 11:20 am | What Smart Building Solutions Mean to Successful Sustainability Strategies How does a company’s sustainability and operational goals intersect with asset management and connectivity strategies? This session aims to outline how a property’s digital backbone plays a vital role in realizing environmental goals. Speakers will share case studies and insights on how apartment managers can incorporate eco-friendly capital investments into broadband strategies to save on costs, mitigate risk, and support data management of building energy performance. As sustainability and climate reporting standards take effect in the market, how property owners and operators integrate and communicate their environmental operations strategies becomes increasingly more important. Moderator: Alison Johnson – Associate Vice President of Content and Program Strategy, National Multi-family Housing Council (NMHC) Panelists: Chirag Patel – Chief Revenue Officer, Safety NetAccess, Inc. Eric Tilden – Senior Director, Elme Communities Jaco Cronje – Vice President, Technology Solutions Architect, WSP |
Guide to what to look for when hiring consultants, contractors, etc.; tips from the pros on how to select the best build partner, PLUS Learn what all those terms and phrases being thrown at you mean. Panelists: TBA |
Check out examples where broadband service providers have deployed FWA in conjunction with FTTP as the best solution to reach underserved and non-served areas as well as MDUs. Moderator: Sean Buckley – Editor in Chief, Broadband Communities Panelists: Pat Garry – Director of Network Expansion, Astound Broadband Christopher Curtin – Vice President MDU Expansion, Ubiquity Pierre Trudeau – President & CTO, Positron Michael Weston – Senior Leader, Verizon Enhanced Communities |
| 11:30 am – 12:20 pm | Owner Roundtable (Alden Bridge Conference Room) Closed forum for property owners and managers only. Open only to owners and owner representatives. During this session, owners will be able to openly discuss trends within the industry as well as challenges faced. Co-Moderators: Linda Willey – Vice President of Business Services Camden Valerie Sargent – Multifamily News Correspondent, Broadband Communities |
A group discussion on why the utility business model is key to the opportunity for Electric Utilities and Electric COOPs to take an active role in helping to close the digital divide. We will discuss current broadband market conditions, capital funding opportunities both public and private, internet service provider partnerships, and a shared mission to help close the digital divide! Moderator/Panelist: Josh Leonard – Broadband Lead, Burns & McDonalds Panelists: Ashley Poling – Senior Sales Executive, COS Systems Franciso Arbide – NextEra Infrastructure Solutions Casey Lide – Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP |
Panelists: TBA |
| 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | GENERAL SESSION (Waterway Ballroom 4-5) Looking to the Future: Where We Go from Here Moderator/Panelist: Christopher Ali – Professor of Telecommunications, Penn State University Panelists: Julianne Goodfellow – Vice President, Government Affairs, National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) Marissa Mitrovich – Vice President Public Policy – Fiber Broadband Association Michael Romano – Executive Vice President, NTCA Angie Kronenberg – President, INCOMPAS |
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