Story Published:
Nov 13, 2007 at 7:54 PM CST
Story Updated:
Nov 13, 2007 at 7:54 PM CST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Matt Blunt released the names of his Rural High-Speed Internet Access Task Force on Tuesday. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder will chair the group.
The governor believes the lack of high-speed Internet connections is
inhibiting job growth, education and economic expansion in rural areas. The
group is charged with submitting a report to the governor by Feb. 1, 2008.
Blunt directed the task force to:
1) Assess the current level of high-speed Internet access available in
Missouri
;
2) Identify barriers to deployment to underserved areas including economic,
geographic, regulatory, and market barriers;
3) Identify potential options to increase the deployment of high-speed
Internet access in underserved communities;
4) Review best practices in other states to increase high-speed Internet
access; and 5)Recommend statutory, regulatory, and policy changes needed to
increase the availability of high-speed Internet services across the state.
Here are the members of the task force.
- Henry
Bradley of
St Joseph helps operate his family’s business providing newspapers in
St. Joseph
and parts of
Kansas City
.
- Katie
Bradley of
Columbia
is the editor of the Missouri Municipal Review for the Missouri Municipal
League.
- Cindy
Brinkley of
St. Louis is president of AT&T Missouri where she is responsible for
all regulatory, legislative, governmental and external affairs in the
state.
- Chuck
Bryant of
Carthage is the electric superintendent for Carthage Water &
Electrical Plant. Chuck is also a member of the Missouri Public
Utility Association and has served as chair of the Missouri Public Utility
Association’s Broadband Taskforce.
- Richard
Cavender of Rolla is executive director of the Meramec Regional Planning
Commission.
- Don
Doucette of
Kansas City
is vice chancellor for education and technology at
Metropolitan
Community
College-Kansas
City
, where he serves as chief academic and chief technology officer for the
campus.
- Estil
Fretwell of
Jamestown is the director of public affairs for the Missouri Farm Bureau
Federation.
- Doug
Galloway of
Jefferson City is EMBARQ’s state executive for
Missouri
and
Kansas
and is responsible for the legislative, regulatory and public affairs
functions.
- Raymond
Henagan of
Rock
Port is manager and chief executive officer of Rock Port Telephone.
- Craig
Klimczak of
St. Louis is College Vice Chancellor of the Department of Technology and
Educational Support for
St. Louis
Community College
.
- David
Klindt of
Jefferson City is vice president of the Association of Missouri Electric
Cooperatives where he heads the legislative department and information
technology department.
- Arthur
Martinez of
Jefferson City is director of government relations for CenturyTel’s
Missouri Region.
- Peggy
McGaugh of
Carrollton is Carroll County Clerk.
- Bill
Mitchell of
Columbia
is executive director of the Missouri Research and Education Network (MOREnet).
- Rob
Monsees of
Columbia
is executive director of Missouri Technology Corporation.
- Rod
Nunn of
Jefferson City is the director of education and workforce innovation for
Blunt.
- Bill
Placke of
Eureka
is senior director of business development at Charter Communications.
- Bill
Rohde of
Kirksville is executive vice president and general manager for Mark Twain
Rural Telephone Company of
Hurdland
.
- Dan
Ross of
Jefferson City is the chief information officer for
Missouri
state government.
- Katie
Smith of
Jefferson City is the director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
- Craig
Steensland of Nixa is the owner of Larson Heating and Air Conditioning.
- Greg
Steinhoff of
Columbia
is the director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
- Julie
Thompson of Doniphan is a small business owner, computer instructor at
West Plains School District and technology instructor at Missouri State
University-West Plains.
- Tracy
Weddle of
Jefferson City is director of Tax Policy and Fiscal Affairs for the
Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- Michael
Zarrilli of
St. Louis
is senior counsel and director of government relations for Suddenlink
Communications providing broadband telecommunications services.
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