Chairman’s Award Presented to Wave Broadband’s Steve Friedman and PAC Individual Leadership Award to Tom Might of Cable ONE and Earl Kuhn of Kuhn Communications
SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 27, 2011 – The American Cable Association honored several ACA members at this year’s Independent Show with service awards that recognized their critical support for the trade group and independent cable operators engaged in providing high-quality voice, video and broadband Internet service in hometown America.
“ACA’s successful past and bright future depend on the dedication of some very special people committed to helping independent cable operators play a positive and constructive role in the public policy arena,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said. “The individuals that ACA honors with its highest awards are exceptionally talented and dedicated, and I salute them all for accolades they so richly deserve.”
The awards were presented before hundreds of ACA members attending the 6th Independent Show, an annual cable industry forum with a pay-television and broadband public policy focus that is co-hosted and jointly organized by ACA and the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), a Lenexa, Kansas-based group that purchases programming and equipment for U.S. cable operators. This year’s show drew nearly 1,000 attendees.
During ACA-sponsored events and meetings, Polka presented ACA’s top honors to the following individuals:
ACA Chairman’s Award: Steve Friedman, Chief Operating Officer of Wave Broadband. Friedman recently stepped down as ACA Chairman after three years as the trade organization’s most senior officer. Among other things, during his tenure Friedman succeeded in raising the profile of retransmission consent reform and putting it on the national policy agenda.
ACA PAC Individual Leadership Award: Cable ONE President and CEO Tom Might and Kuhn Communications President Earl Kuhn. The PAC Individual Award recognizes enthusiasm, dedication and support for the ACA PAC and for creating a culture of knowledge within the company regarding the ACA PAC’s important role and purpose.
The PAC Leadership Award: Wave Broadband. This award recognizes Wave Broadband for greatly increasing PAC contribution totals and significantly increasing the number of ACA PAC donors in the past year.
ACA Board Service Award: Patrick Knorr, formerly Chief Operating Officer of Sunflower Broadband. The Board Service Award is given to recognize the service and commitment of an ACA board member stepping down from that position. Knorr is now CEO of Knorr Solutions.
ACA Board Emeritus Recognition: Doug Fuller, formerly of NPG Cable and longtime board member of both NCTC and ACA. Board Emeritus status, which has been granted only once before in ACA’s history, is extended to those Board members whose service to ACA represents lifetime achievement and commitment to the ACA Board of Directors.
About the American Cable Association
Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 900 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for more than 7.6 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/