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Intro:
The following program is brought to you by the Tennessee
Broadband Association.

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Lead Tennessee Radio, conversations with the leaders moving our
state forward.

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We look at the issues shaping Tennessee's future: rural
development, public policy, broadband,

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health care, and other topics impacting our communities.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Hello everyone.

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I'm Carrie Huckeby, executive director of the Tennessee
Broadband Association.

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My guest on this episode of Lead Tennessee Radio is one of my
favorite people in the industry, Tyler Campbell.

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He's the executive director of Kentucky Rural Broadband
Association.

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Welcome, Tyler.

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Tyler Campbell:
Hey, thank you for having me, Carrie.

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It's always fun to be on this podcast with you.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Well, I'm glad you had time this morning.

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We each just wrapped up our annual meeting for the association,
it seems.

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And here we are, three months away from the Kentucky Tennessee
Fall Conference.

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It's October 21st through the 23rd, and we're back at the
Franklin Cool Springs Marriott.

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This will be our second year, and I here we are celebrating a
big anniversary.

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How many years?

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Tyler Campbell:
Yeah, this is our 30th.

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This will be our 30th joint fall conference.

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So, it's a big time to celebrate a great partnership between
Kentucky and Tennessee companies and coming

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together, bringing folks from across the industry and across
both of our great states to come together and

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discuss issues for the rural broadband industry.

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So, yeah, this is a celebration of year number 30.

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So great time to celebrate, and it's a big milestone, I think,
for both of our associations.

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Carrie Huckeby:
It is. And it goes by fast too, I imagine.

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Tyler Campbell:
Yes it does. It's hard to believe that I've already been here
over nine years now.

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It doesn't seem like it's been that long since I've been
involved in the industry, but it's went by quick.

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It's certainly is a great time for our industry.

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I think there's, you know, a lot of changes on the horizon, but
a lot of opportunities as well.

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So I think heading into the fall conference, we'll have plenty
to discuss and plenty to talk about as it relates to our industry

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moving forward.

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Carrie Huckeby:
I'm sure. How do you imagine the conference has changed in, you
know, from that very first one to,

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you know, the one that we'll hold in October?

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What kind of changes do you think that the associations have
seen?

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Tyler Campbell:
Yeah, I think probably who the conference appeals to in terms of
attendees.

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I think that at one time this conference probably focused more
on the technical side of telephony of the business.

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Now, I think it runs the gamut of what we could talk.

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You know, there are folks there that represent companies from
the marketing side, you know, the financial

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side in addition to the, you know, your engineering and outside
the plant operators.

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So I think at one time it was really geared and focused more on
probably the engineering and technical side of the industry.

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And I feel like as the conference has grown, and we have seen
more and more people wanting to be a part of it, we've expanded

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our agenda. We've expanded the focus of the conference, not just
to focus on the technical side, but, you know, to talk about

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national issues, whether it's political or industry related.

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And then also, like I said, expanding the topics that we cover
from, you know, cybersecurity information technology,

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in addition to, you know, marketing, financial, regulatory
matters.

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So I really do think the focus of the conference has probably
changed over the years in terms of the content.

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And also, just again, the folks at the conference appeals to
because of that.

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You know, I think when this conference started, you know, 30
years ago, you probably had a couple hundred people there from,

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you know, both states.

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And, you know, I think last year we hit almost, what, 450
people, I think that attended over the course of three days.

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So I look for a similar crowd to join us again in Franklin this
year.

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And, you know, certainly the number of vendors that we've had
over the last couple of years continues to increase as they see

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the value in this conference.

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So I think that's going to continue.

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I think that we've put together a quality conference over the
course of 30 years, and I think it's really only gotten better

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over the last few years.

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Carrie Huckeby:
I agree, and I think we've worked hard to include as many
disciplines as we can in those conferences so that,

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you know, we can keep everyone informed because it is important.

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You know, we talk so much about departments not being in silos.

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And this is a good way for them to hear lots of aspects of
what's going on in the industry.

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And speaking about that, we sent out those speaker proposal
requests last week and asked for those to come back in by

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August 16th.

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What kind of topics do you expect for us to get back?

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And you know, what do you think we're going to hear more about
at the conference?

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Tyler Campbell:
I think honestly, we'll hear, you know, of course, BEAD is still
going to be top of mind.

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I think that both of our states have probably went through the
challenge process phase for our states regarding the federal BEAD

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program. So I think we'll certainly, you know, have
conversations as it relates to BEAD and where both of our states

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stand right now.

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Kentucky's actually just getting ready to enter the
pre-application phase.

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So for those companies that may be interested, they'll certify
their application and actually put in and submit

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applications to areas of the Commonwealth where they're thinking
about applying.

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So that process will be ongoing.

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And by the time we enter the conference season in the fall in
October, we'll be about ready to actually have the full

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application process.

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And I'd say that will be fully underway, and they'll be gearing
up toward that application process.

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So I certainly think the federal BEAD program is still going to
be top of mind.

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But I also think you're going to see topics ranging from the
importance of how we look at AI, artificial intelligence.

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You know, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, we actually have a
task force that's solely dedicated to looking at AI across

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multiple sectors of government and business.

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So I think that that's certainly going to be a topic.

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Obviously, there are great advantages with AI and how companies,
including our telcos, can use that for a wide range

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of services and, you know, customer service, marketing.

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However, you know, I there's also the downside of it.

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What risks that can AI pose to our companies?

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So I think you'll see conversations surrounding artificial
intelligence and their various uses.

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I also think cybersecurity is going to be top of mind, not only
for the federal programs that are coming down, but, you know, as

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we talk more and more about misinformation and disinformation
campaigns as we enter the political season, you know, that that's

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always a topic of conversation, how people can use, you know, AI
and other other measures to generate, you know,

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deepfakes and, you know, things of that nature.

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So I think cybersecurity and staying vigilant with our networks
is going to be a top of mind as well, and how those can

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interact with one another, you know, social media.

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And then I think, you know, the normal topics that we could
probably have, you know, what?

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We're going to have conversations about the latest and greatest
in technology and what our vendors across the spectrum are doing

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on a wide range of issues.

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So I think that we can have a topics ranging from that, you'll
see engineering like we have in the past.

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What grant process updates on federal programs.

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But then, like I said, I think there's going to be a real focus
on the federal programs of BEAD as we're in, you know, full march

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into that later this fall.

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And then cybersecurity and AI are going to be top of mind.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Yeah, I agree, I know there's a lot of discussion there.

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And you want to use AI, but then you also worry about the
cybersecurity part of how much you're using each one.

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But you know, they'll also be I know, workforce development
conversations, digital opportunity and literacy

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programs that go along with BEAD and funding.

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And then I know supply chain always shows up in the showcase and
discussions there, how that's going to

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run as these state and federal programs' grants are awarded.

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Tyler Campbell:
Yeah, I certainly think you hit on a great topic of workforce
development.

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You know, I think both of our states are, you know, every states
competing with each other to an extent on the, you know, the next

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economic development project.

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But, you know, obviously, I think Kentucky and Tennessee both
done really well over the last few years in focusing on, you

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know, various aspects of their economy.

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And so, you know, I know, Kentucky obviously is a heavy
automotive manufacturing area.

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We're heavily invested in now looking at opening two electric
vehicle battery plants.

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And so as they ramp up for a workforce for both of those plants,
I think in our state, you know, workforce development is going

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to be paramount to whatever we do.

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So, you know, you have the workforce development side for some
of these other industries that are coming in.

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And then just our industry alone, you know, as in Kentucky,
we're going to have $1.1 billion come into the

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state through the federal BEAD program.

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And so we're going to need more construction workers and
services.

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As you know, these broadband networks are deployed.

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We're going to need more service technicians, fiber splicers.

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You know, so where are these where are these workers going to
come from?

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How are we going to get them in the state?

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How are we going to get them to stay?

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Those are all going to be questions, and I think we'll have, you
know, discussions on all of those issues at the fall conference.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Oh, I do too.

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And at our June conference, the TCAT students came in and toured
the showcase, and there was such good feedback from

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them because I think our conferences serve that purpose of
showing them the innovation, but also what career

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opportunities are out there.

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And, you know, there's so many.

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So it really opens their eyes when they get a chance to come in
and talk and talk to the vendors and things like that.

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So we really play a role there, I think, in education and
workforce development.

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Tyler Campbell:
Yeah, I agree, I think a lot of our telcos at a, you know, at a
local level, they engage

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with, you know, their local chambers of commerce.

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They engage with, they have, you know, a community and technical
college nearby, a local high school, vocational programs.

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You know, we have members that, you know, have invested in their
local high school vocational programs.

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And, you know, it's a great way for them to work with those
students and show them, you know, career pathways, that you

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know, a four year degree may not be for everybody.

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And there's great opportunities working for your local telephone
cooperative or local telco.

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And you know, there's a number of careers that could be
available there.

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So I think we have some folks that do a great job of that now.

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And I only see that role expanding in the future as we're
talking about what we need to do to create another new wave of

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local workers as these broadband networks are deployed over the
next five, six, seven years.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Yeah, 100% agree there.

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Networking is such a big part of the conference.

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And we always hear every year, we need more networking time.

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What kind of opportunities will there be for the members this
year on the program where they'll

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get that networking time?

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Tyler Campbell:
Oh, yeah. Well, I think every year, one of the most popular
events that we always have is our joint golf scramble.

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And that that first day where people can come in, they can play
golf or interact with folks over at the course.

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So you'll have an opportunity to network there.

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We'll have the welcome reception that opening night, which is
always very popular.

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And then, like I said, there's no greater opportunity to
interact with folks than actually registering and attending the

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conference, going to the sessions.

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As I said before, you know, between our two telcos or, I'm
sorry, our two associations and all the telcos that are

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represented there, you know, I'm not overstating.

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I think we have 225-250 different telco representatives there at
any given time.

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So if you're a vendor, an associate member of either Kentucky or
Tennessee and are interested in networking, there's no greater

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opportunity than registering for the conference, taking
advantage of the golf scramble, the welcome receptions, the

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dessert receptions that we have, and then actually attending the
sessions.

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Because you're going to be in and out of general sessions, the
business luncheon that we have, the breakout sessions.

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Like I said, you're going to have over 250 telco representatives
from GM, CFOs to outside the plant and

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engineers. All of those individuals attend this conference.

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So if you're trying to appeal to chat with any one of those
individuals, you're going to have a lot of opportunities over the

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course of three days to do so.

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Carrie Huckeby:
I agree, and I think both of our associations our members or
telco members, and they do a really good job supporting

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us and sending their employees, their key key players of
management team and all to our meeting.

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So there's a whole lot of networking that goes on in the hall.

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You know, the in between breaks and those chats and as you said,
on the golf course and everywhere else.

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Tyler Campbell:
Well, and that's not even counting the, you know, the actual
supplier showcase that we hold on the last day of the conference.

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You know, we had over, I think, 100 vendors there last year.

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And, you know, we opened up that hall and I mean, we had over,
you know, 350 people outside of the vendors last year that

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attended that showcase.

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So, you know, you're going to have time on the floor with them
on that last day of the supplier showcase.

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But they're going to be great opportunities, as you said, to
just stop and chat with people in the hall, the breakout

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sessions. I really feel like one of the benefits of this is just
the amount of face time that you can get with people, if you

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invest in the conference and are willing to show up and take
part.

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Carrie Huckeby:
I agree, and speaking of golf, you mentioned that at the Towhee
Club out at Spring Hill.

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Is there going to be cornhole this year?

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Tyler Campbell:
Yeah, I think we're planning on doing that too.

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That's pretty popular with some folks that aren't really into
golf.

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So we got a couple other activities for people that want to show
up, have lunch, and we'll do a cornhole toss tournament.

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That whole first day is really just a fun day.

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It's a networking day.

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That's what I refer to it as, actually.

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You're talking about networking. I refer to it as the networking
day.

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You can come in and have lunch.

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It's a very casual day, and you don't have to be a great golfer
to enjoy golf.

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And if you don't want to golf at all, we'll have cornhole there
for you out at Towhee Golf Club.

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And it really is just a great way to introduce yourself to folks
at the conference.

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And again, I think it's a very relaxing day, a very social
casual day.

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And it's a great way to introduce yourself to everybody who's at
the conference.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Yes. And it's a beautiful course.

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And they're really good to us out there.

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The weather has cooperated the last few years, so fingers
crossed that we have beautiful October weather as

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well.

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Tyler Campbell:
That's what I'm hoping. We've been able to get golf in the last
few years and haven't had to dodge, you know, buckets of rain or

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had to deal with 100 degree temperatures.

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So hopefully, late – it's a little later in October, but
hopefully we're still looking at some beautiful fall weather.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure talk a little bit about the sponsorship
opportunities, because we do have those for our vendors

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and getting their brand out there during the conference.

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So touch on that a little bit.

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Tyler Campbell:
Well, I think that's one of the great thing about this
conference.

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You know, depending on what you want to do, there's a
sponsorship level for everybody that wants to be involved.

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I think we have golf hole sponsors that go for a couple hundred
dollars to you can sponsor the business luncheon for, you know,

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$2,500 to $5,000 as a platinum sponsor for various events, our
desert reception sponsorship.

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So I mean it those sponsorships range from a couple hundred
dollars for a golf hole sponsorship, up to a $5,000 platinum

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sponsorship for certain events.

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So it really is something for everybody, how invested you want
to be to get your name, ID, and

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marketing out there.

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But that's one thing I do love about the conference.

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There are so many opportunities for folks to interact with one
another to sponsor certain events.

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So if you are interested, those sponsorship opportunities are
certainly going to be there.

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And so I'm always excited to see what vendors, you know,
obviously we share a lot of associate members and we actually

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share a few telco members as well that serve on both of our
boards.

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This is one of my favorite events of the year.

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It certainly is just a great time to get together.

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I feel like it's a great way to celebrate the successes of both
of our associations and our members, but it's a great opportunity

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if you're an associate member or a vendor that's looking to make
your mark in marketing to get your name out there.

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There are certainly a sponsorship that's available to you if you
want to partake.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Yes, we try to make it that way for sure.

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The plan is to open registration next week.

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I'm working on that registration page now, hoping to launch that
this weekend.

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The hotel block link will be on that page.

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And then we also try to put that on our website.

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We do have the main hotel block.

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And then if that does fill up as it did last year pretty quick,
we have another block at the Marriott

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Courtyard if we happen to need that.

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So lots of stuff going on, getting ready, waiting on those
speaker proposals to come back in, and then we'll make

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decisions about that.

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Tyler Campbell:
I will say, if you have members that listen to this podcast, I
will say, get your room blocks early, because they sold out

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really fast last year.

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Carrie Huckeby:
They did.

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Tyler Campbell:
Earlier than they ever did before.

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So I would if your members are listening to this, and I will
certainly relay that to some of my members as well, get your

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rooms early.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Don't delay. And speaking of that, the booths, we will have about
100 to 105 booth spaces for the

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showcase. And they sold out pretty quick last year, too,
probably about six weeks before the conference.

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Do I remember that correct?

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Tyler Campbell:
That's correct.

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Actually, last year was the earliest we had ever sold out.

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And then we ended up actually trying to expand the area a little
bit, and we were able to do that as more and more

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people, as more and more people expressed interest in
exhibiting, we were able to move a few out of the conference

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space into the foyer area.

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But don't wait to register, because there's still even though we
were able to expand last year, there is a finite amount of space.

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And you are correct, we sold out well over a month in advance
last year, which was the most boost we'd ever sold for this

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conference.

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Carrie Huckeby:
And I think our associations, both of our associations, have been
very fortunate that we continue to add new members.

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And when we add those new members, one of the things they do is
get a booth space.

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So, you know, that's why we keep expanding the space and adding
those booths.

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So they do sell out fast.

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Tyler Campbell:
Yes they do. Again, if you're a member that's listening, get your
hotel room, but also register early and lock up your

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booth space, your sponsorships, those things that you want to do
because they will go fast.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Well, thank you, Tyler, for talking to me this morning and taking
the time.

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I look forward to seeing everyone at the convention and look
forward to working with you to get things scheduled and

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get the information out there.

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Is there anything else you want to add before we wrap it up?

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Tyler Campbell:
I just want to say thank you for the opportunity to be on here
again.

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I always enjoy working with you as we head in toward the the
conference.

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And I know, a 30th year celebration for this joint fall meeting.

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I know we're going to have an informative meeting and just
really put together a dynamic a few days down in Franklin.

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So I'm looking forward to working with you and looking forward
to interacting with all of our members once again.

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I think it's going to be a great time down in Franklin and look
forward to celebrating our 30th joint fall conference together.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Same here.

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I think we need cake.

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Maybe we need an anniversary cake in there somewhere.

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Tyler Campbell:
We can put a special logo on the cake.

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Carrie Huckeby:
Right? Sounds good.

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Well, my guest has been Tyler Campbell, the executive director
of the Kentucky Rural Broadband Association.

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And you've been listening to Lead Tennessee Radio, produced by
the Tennessee Broadband Association, cooperative and independent

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companies, connecting our state's rural communities and beyond
with world class broadband.