NTCA Announces 2026 Excellence Awards Winners, Celebrating Service, Innovation and Community Impact

During the 2026 RTIME, NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association recognized eight rural telecom leaders who have shown exceptional commitment to their communities and the broadband industry.

The NTCA Excellence Awards recognize broadband providers who have exceeded expectations to support their customers and community members and to advance communications services in rural America. Winners are selected by the association's Awards Committee comprised of NTCA members. The NTCA Excellence Awards are sponsored by JSI and Mid America Computer Corporation. The awards ceremony can be viewed on the NTCA Facebook page.

"The rural broadband industry is full of dedicated, innovative and community-focused individuals, and it is always a joy to celebrate their success through the NTCA Excellence Awards," said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. "Our 2026 winners exemplify the values of our industry: service, innovation and an unwavering commitment to those they serve. I want to congratulate and thank each of them for the meaningful impact they make every day in our industry and their communities."

The 2026 Excellence Awards winners are:

Associate Member Outstanding Achievement Award: Andy Brown began his nearly 45-year career in the 1980s at NTCA, first serving on the government affairs team and rising to the vice president of association services. He was instrumental in the creation of the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) in 1994 and the first FRS Youth Tour in 1995. After leaving NTCA, Brown worked with various telecommunications providers and associate member companies including WK&T, JSI and NineStar Connect. He has also served on several NTCA committees and the FRS Board of Directors. His wisdom and insight have been sought after by many in the industry, and he continues to share his knowledge as a presenter at industry events and as a mentor for younger colleagues.

Community Outreach Award: Jackie Kenshalo, manager of government, community, and tribal affairs at MTA (Palmer, Alaska), established the MTA Youth Technology Tour in 2021 to introduce students to the wide range of roles in the broadband industry and empower them to see themselves in those roles. The tour is a comprehensive showcase of MTA's operations, with presentations from nearly every department and hands-on demonstrations like cable locating, pole climbing and fiber splicing. Through the Youth Tech Tour, Kenshalo has created more than just a learning opportunity; she has built a bridge between MTA and the next generation.

Heroism Award: JT Traylor, lineman at Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative (FTC; Rainsville, Ala.), provided life-saving help to one of his colleagues experiencing a blood clot in his brain. Early one morning, he received a call that one of his colleagues was alone at the office and experiencing severe distress and numbness on one side of his body. Traylor rushed to the office, assessed the situation, and immediately drove his colleague to the emergency room, as waiting for an ambulance would have taken too long. While his colleague has made a full recovery, doctors said that without Traylor's quick action, his prognosis could have been significantly different.

Innovation Award: Olin Hamilton, system administrator, and Dustin Hatfield, network administrator, at WTC Fiber (Wamego, Kan.) developed a new "Quick Connect" approach to automate and streamline the customer onboarding experience. With only 46 full-time employees serving a 750-square-mile area, efficiency is key at WTC. When WTC received a surge in service applications, Hamilton and Hatfield recognized that the company needed to update its manual processes. This required overcoming technical barriers and collaboration across multiple departments and systems, and it has elevated the customer experience.

James L. Bass Director Life Achievement Award: David Parker, director at DTC Communications (Alexandria, Tenn.), has served on the DTC board for 50 years and played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a local telephone provider to a world-class broadband solutions company. During his tenure, he oversaw the transition from analog to digital switching, the establishment of Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc., a system-wide FTTP overbuild to expand services to unserved and underserved communities, partnerships to establish iRis Networks and Trilight, as well as several significant grants that have helped DTC expand broadband services by over 200 square miles.

James L. Bass Manager Life Achievement Award: Fred Johnson, recently retired CEO at Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative (FTC; Rainsville, Ala.), began his career with FTC in 1993 and was named CEO in 2002, at a critical time for the cooperative. Throughout his tenure, he carefully implemented a plan designed to foster growth in existing ILEC markets by overbuilding an aging copper network with a fiber network, which now includes 2,400 route miles of optical fiber, and strategically investing in adjacent CLEC markets, now serving over 800 square miles. His relationships, expertise and proven track record have been instrumental in securing approximately $40 million in grant funds. He has served on numerous state and national industry boards and committees, including the NTCA Board of Directors, on which he served for nine years and was chair for one term.

Key Employee Award: Caleen Williams, executive assistant at Penasco Valley Telephone (PVT; Artesia, N.M.), has served PVT for 10 years, with consistency, care and leadership. Not only does she pay meticulous attention to detail, providing a foundation upon which informed leadership decisions are made, but she also has mentored younger employees, serving as a trusted source of information and a helping hand during transitions and growth phases alike. Her ability to translate complex, often technical concepts into accessible, actionable information has made her a trusted liaison between technical teams, executives, and support staff, improving operational effectiveness and organizational morale.

Outstanding Marketing Achievement Award: Ashley Littleton, marketing supervisor at Syntrio (Vernon, Texas), led the company through a time of transition as Santa Rosa Telephone Cooperative merged with two other companies to become Syntrio. Her efforts to ensure branding stays authentic, clear, and grounded in the local community have helped increase alignment across the sales, business services, and operations departments, resulting in more confident sales conversations, stronger community engagement, and improved internal cohesion. Syntrio has seen higher engagement rates, increased website activity, and greater recognition across new service areas.