Intro: The following program is brought to you by the Tennessee Broadband Association.
Lead Tennessee Radio, conversations with the leaders moving our state forward.
We look at the issues shaping Tennessee's future: rural development, public policy, broadband,
healthcare, and other topics impacting our communities.
Carrie Huckeby: Hello, everyone, and thank you for joining me on this episode of Lead Tennessee Radio.
I'm Carrie Huckeby, the executive director of the Tennessee Broadband Association.
Believe it or not, the 2024 TNBA Annual Convention and Showcase is just a little bit over three months
away, and planning is in full force.
What can you expect at this year's conference?
And that's what my guest is here to talk about, Mr.
Charlie Boring.
He is the CEO of BTC Fiber.
He is the 2024 convention committee chair and the upcoming president of the board.
He's wearing a lot of hats, so welcome, Charlie.
Charlie Boring: Well, thank you for having me.
It's an honor to be here.
Carrie Huckeby: Well, as you know, the convention is June 4th through the 6th.
It's in Franklin again this year at the Cool Springs Marriott.
We've been there several years.
They do a great job hosting us.
Everyone seems to like that location because of the area.
It has lots of restaurants, things to do, a little less congested traffic than Nashville.
And we've got a great committee already put together, and that's always helpful, planning and helping us do some of that heavy
lifting. But before we jump into like specific details first, Charlie, how many of these conventions have you
attended? Do you remember when you started going to the TNBA Conference?
Charlie Boring: Oh, well, I have actually been working here for 30 years, so I probably attended, oh, I
want to say I'm on about 20+.
Carrie Huckeby: 20 years. That's a good history there.
So why is the convention been important to you, and why is it important to the
Association and its members, do you think?
Charlie Boring: You know, these conventions are one of the things that I look for the most every year.
You get to spend time with your peers and leaders of the technology that we're
dealing with. And you get to see what's upcoming.
You get to see problems that they've dealt with.
You get to deal with a lot of different aspects of things that, you know, other people have already seen.
And you're just now starting to see.
So sometimes you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
They can help you through all these issues.
So, you know, you get a lot of insight of the future and everything that when you go to these conventions.
Carrie Huckeby: I agree. I think I've done most of my learning and gained most of my experiences from conferences and the
conversations that happen in the hall and not just the speakers on the stage.
Charlie Boring: Exactly.
Carrie Huckeby: Always helpful.
So tell us what you think the attendees can expect to hear this year at the conference.
I mean, what are the hot subjects right now?
Of course, besides BEAD and USF reform and ACP, what other things are you hearing about, and you
think we'll hear from at the convention?
Charlie Boring: You know, there's a lot of talk and everything about what is the next step for fiber deployment.
You know, you go from XGS-PON.
What's next?
What are the things that, you know, and you sit and look at a lot of different aspects of everything that we do, you know:
water, other means of revenue that we can get into.
You know, partnerships with other entities that that we can expand broadband out into other areas through BEAD
and various things like that.
I mean, it's just a plethora of things that you're going to hear.
And as you said, a lot of it's going to probably be out in the hallway, but there's always going to be speakers that that kind
of lead us and get us started in certain directions and discussions.
Carrie Huckeby: Right. We could probably have a conference a week or two long and not talk about every subject we needed to talk about.
Charlie Boring: Oh, I don't think.
Yeah, I think a week would be shortened.
Carrie Huckeby: Probably.
In the past, we've had peer breakout groups too.
Those have always been well attended, and we're planning on those this year too.
What do you think the attendees take away from those peer groups?
Same thing as the convention?
Charlie Boring: And as I said, those are some of the most important ones in my opinion.
You know, you're sitting there with a group of peers that, you know, like I said, they've dealt with and are dealing with the
same issues that you do.
And it's just a lot easier for, you know, a group of people to come up with an answer more so than it is
just one individual.
So you're going to hear them and, you know, hear their take on things.
Because a lot of times I step in there and I think I already know everything, but, you come to realize you don't know half of
it. So, you know, there's just a lot of different things you can learn from people, other people in the industry, you know, and
they get a different perspective on it.
Carrie Huckeby: Right. I know a lot of times I would leave a convention or a breakout session and think, hmm, I just don't know anything.
Charlie Boring: Yeah, yeah.
You know, these are one of the things that you, I mean, for me, and I don't want to say this for everyone else, but I don't know,
sometimes you feel dumber whenever you leave them.
Because you think you should have known all that.
You know, like I said, it's just, there's a lot of smart individuals in this industry, and, the way they look at
things, and sometimes it's better just to hush and listen and learn from them.
Carrie Huckeby: I hear you.
I've been in those shoes, for sure.
On the listening end; not the expert end.
Charlie Boring: Yeah, that's me.
Carrie Huckeby: But our peer groups.
We do have the CEO peer group, the finance, HR and executive assistant, marketing
sales.
Also have outside plan and engineering and network.
So we do have six separate peer groups.
And those are always, like I said, well attended.
Charlie Boring: Yeah. You know, and like I said, my team thoroughly enjoys those.
You know, like I said, they get to listen to their peers and, you know, everything that I mentioned.
You learn a lot from it.
Carrie Huckeby: Right. So on the last day, it's always a big day on Thursday is the showcase.
And we normally have at least 60 booths or so, and it sells out pretty quick.
Tell us about the expo, Charlie, and what you think the vendors get from that and what you think they'll be talking
about this year.
Charlie Boring: You know, your vendors, a lot of times, you just talk to them on the phone.
This gives you the opportunity to come face to face with them.
You know, and a lot of times with everything else, they learn a little bit more about you.
They learn, you know, various things.
I think it's great for them.
I think it's great for the employees of the companies, because, you know, you get to build that
relationship. And as we all know, that's very important when you're dealing with individuals that you know them.
You understand them, and they understand you.
And like I said, it's just a face to face look.
It gives us the ability to see things that are new in the industry.
You know, there's a lot of times that you get hung on one individual thing that you like and you're used to,
but sometimes they present some things that are better and makes things more efficient.
And, you know, you get to see those.
I just think it's a great thing all the way around for the companies and the vendors that show up that, you know, like I
said, builds relationships.
It does a lot for each.
Carrie Huckeby: I agree, and it puts a lot of times, it puts a face with a name, like you said, we talked to him on the phone and don't really get
to see him face to face sometimes, so it's nice to do that.
And then also at our showcase, I think it's a good thing that some of the employees cannot attend the
whole conference, so they can come just on showcase day and get entry there and get to walk around and
see everyone. So, we do that as well as full registration for the full day.
So that's always good.
Charlie Boring: Yeah. It is.
Like I said, it's great for them.
Carrie Huckeby: Yeah. So in the past, we've had a golf outing on Tuesday, and we're going to do that this year as well at the Towhee Club in
Spring Hill. We've been there last year for the fall conference with Kentucky and then the spring and enjoyed
that. It's about 20 minutes from the hotel.
And you're a golfer.
Any predictions on how well you think you're going to do this year, or expecting any prize winning?
Charlie Boring: You know, the predictions are, the way to predict the future is to look at your past.
And my past always indicates that I'm not going to play that well.
So, if there's any prize winnings, it's going to depend upon who I have on my team.
So, I hope they're good.
And, if not, then I'm just going to be there to enjoy the day.
Carrie Huckeby: Well, as chairman of the committee, this year, I think we can let maybe let you select who you're going to play golf with.
Would that work? Maybe?
Charlie Boring: I've tried that for years, and it's never really worked.
So I don't know. I'm gonna have to talk with someone and come up with some solution for this.
Carrie Huckeby: You're gonna have talked to Mark Patterson, maybe.
Charlie Boring: I've talked to him. Apparently, Mark doesn't like me or something.
I don't know, or maybe he likes the other people and don't want to put them with me, so I don't know how it works.
Carrie Huckeby: They may be paying him more money to not be on your team, Charlie.
Charlie Boring: I'm guessing that's probably it.
Carrie Huckeby: Yeah, well, we're looking forward to a good day.
We always have about 100 golfers there, and last year, the weather cooperated very nicely.
So I hope that it does the same for this year.
It's a good day.
Charlie Boring: Yes, it is.
Carrie Huckeby: So we're going to do something a little different this year and instead of having a platinum event on Thursday morning, we're
going to have it Monday night at the hotel.
And so that's going to be switching up just a little, but we're doing that I think because, well, for
many reasons. But one reason is we think that evening before will give the platinum events a little more time to network and
visit and, you know, without having to rush out the door and get to that showcase.
So any thoughts on that?
Or just tell the platinum members to be sure to come out Monday?
Charlie Boring: Yes. I mean, they need to come out, you know, and we truly appreciate their sponsorship and everything that they've done.
You know, without them, I mean, it makes it difficult for us to even have these shows and to put them on.
You know, so we want to do something nice for them.
As I said there again, it's another area where we can get to know these.
You know, as you said, put a name with a face and, you know, you kind of step outside of your business mode
during some of these, and you learn a little bit more about them.
I mean, you learn more about family and various other things like that.
So, I mean, I always look forward to them.
I mean, they're great. And, you know, it's a great bunch of people and, they're fun to be around.
So, you know, like I said, I always look forward to it.
Carrie Huckeby: Yeah, they are.
And like you said, we couldn't do it without them, and we appreciate their support of the association.
And then anytime we need a little extra help or a golf hole sponsorship or a name on a sign, we always appreciate that.
And we will have sponsorship opportunities for the conference.
Like we always do.
The key card and gold sponsorships and platinum and silver and all those good things.
Charlie Boring: Yes.
Carrie Huckeby: Registration, our plan is to have registration open by March 1st.
And that will also have the hotel block information.
We'll be posting that on social media when that opens, and our website will have the registration link
and hotel information.
The hotel cut off will be May 13th, although the block normally fills up way before then.
But that is the cut off for the meeting and the hotel.
What else do they need to know, Charlie, about this year's convention?
Can you think of anything?
Charlie Boring: Yeah, I think that's just about it.
I mean just come on out.
Join up.
And, you know, it's going to be, as I said, every year, it's a great time.
And you always learn something.
You always come away with something from this.
So, everybody just needs to show up and be there and be ready for a good time and learn something while we're doing it.
Carrie Huckeby: All right. Come see us.
All right, so my guest has been Charlie Boring, CEO of BTC Fiber and this year's TNBA Convention committee
chair and upcoming president of the TNBA board.
You've been listening to the Lead Tennessee Radio, produced by the Tennessee Broadband Association, cooperative and independent
companies connecting our state's rural communities and beyond with world class broadband.