From the press release:
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) Board of Directors today announced the recipients of NATOA’s 2012 Community Broadband Awards. These honors are awarded to exceptional leaders and innovative programs that champion community interests and broadband deployment in local communities nationwide. Recipients will receive their awards at NATOA’s 32nd Annual Conference, to be held in New Orleans, LA from September 27–29 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.
“We are thrilled to recognize such a broad spectrum of people, communities, and organizations that lead the nation in advocating for and improving government and public options in broadband technology,” said Joanne Hovis, president of the NATOA Board of Directors.
“These pioneers have distinguished themselves in their extraordinary efforts, achievements and innovation in community-based approaches to broadband.”
The 2012 Community Broadband Award recipients are:
Community Broadband Hero of the Year
John Windhausen for long-time heroic advocacy for more, bigger broadband in America, and for ably advocating on behalf of the needs of schools, health care, and libraries in broadband.
Community Broadband Visionary of the Year
Blair Levin for understanding the potential of fiber to the home, and advocating for gigabit networks in all American communities through true partnerships between public and private sectors.
Community Broadband Fiber Networks of the Year
The City of Wilson, NC for funding, building, and operating a state-of-the-art municipal fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network in the face of well-funded opposition seeking to preclude the emergence of competition in that market.
Clackamas County, OR for building an exemplary public middle-mile fiber infrastructure to bridge urban, suburban, and rural regions, and also despite well-funded opposition seeking to preclude competition.
Community Broadband Wireless Network of the Year
The City of Port Angeles, WA for planning and deploying an innovative, multi-use, multi-sectoral wireless network to serve public safety, consumers, local government, and tribal needs.
Community Broadband Organizations of the Year
Institute for Local Self Reliance for persistent reporting on community broadband initiatives and their opponents, thereby educating and informing the public and policy-makers nationwide.
Massachusetts Broadband Institute for pioneering an innovative regional strategy and demonstrating the power of regional multi-jurisdictional collaboration.
Community Broadband Project of the Year
Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband (UC2B) for deploying an innovative, open-access FTTH network, and turning on its head the traditional model of starting with the most lucrative areas by prioritizing first low-income and unserved communities.
For more information on the award recipients, the NATOA Community Broadband Awards, and NATOA’s efforts to bring about a national broadband strategy that recognizes the vital and integral role of local governments, visit www.natoa.org or contact Steve Traylor, Executive Director/General Counsel at the number above.
NATOA is a national trade association representing local government jurisdictions and consortiums, including elected and appointed officials and staff, who oversee communications policies and services in local governments throughout the country.