By Grant Spellmeyer, President & CEO of America’s Communications Association (ACA Connects)
As President and CEO of America’s Communications Association (ACA Connects), my top priority is continuing our mission to be the strongest voice and advocate possible for the nation’s rural and community-based communications providers. Since its founding, America’s Communications Association has distinguished itself in the halls of power as an honest broker of the facts and pragmatic advocates voicing the real-world problems facing our industry. We’re trusted to come to the table with tangible solutions.
The strength of ACA Connects’ work in Washington comes from our members and your unique ability to discuss everyday challenges and opportunities with regulators, lawmakers, and government officials. Simply put, it’s about the connections and relationships our association builds between you and decision-makers in D.C. to make policymaking tangible and real.
For years, the centerpiece of this grassroots advocacy has been the once-a-year ACA Connects Summit. This event held in February or March attracted hundreds of our members and partners. It ensured ACA Connects hit the ground running on our top advocacy priorities. In 2025, CFX (formerly Cablefax) said it best:
“Many are still trying to find their feet with how fast the new administration has been moving, but ACA Connects and its members were steadfast in their advocacy as they took to the nation’s capital for this year’s Summit.”
CFX made an excellent point, and it is an example of how ACA Connects often punches above our weight. It did, however, inspire me to think, how do we keep the momentum from this once-a-year Summit going? How do we deliver more value, foster stronger relationships, and even stronger steadfast advocacy for our members who are eager to make their voices heard more often in D.C.?
To meet these goals, I’m pleased to announce today that we are launching a new approach to our grassroots advocacy. One that is a stronger reflection of the round-the-clock advocacy happening at our association.
Starting in 2027, in lieu of the Summit, ACA Connects will be hosting three “ACA Connects YOU” events in Washington, D.C.
This is what ACA Connects YOU means for our valued members:
- More opportunities and greater flexibility to travel throughout the year to D.C.
- More in-depth, intimate, and strategic meetings with Members of Congress and regulators who sit on congressional committees and federal agencies that are shaping the future of our industry.
- Open to all ACA Connects members, no registration fee required.
- Assistance with setting up follow-up meetings, tours of facilities and construction sites, and openings of new service locations with lawmakers in your districts.
Our first ACA Connects YOU event is tentatively scheduled for February 23-25, 2027. More details will be provided soon, but please do not hesitate to reach out about ways we can make your experience truly exceptional. You may also find more information at https://acaconnects.org/you/.
All of us at ACA Connects take seriously the trust and responsibility placed in us by independent operators around the country to move the needle in Washington so they can have the freedom to operate, create jobs, support local economies, and connect families.
We believe this evolution of our annual in-person gatherings will strengthen our advocacy and bolster our efforts to speak with one voice in Washington to the policymakers deciding the future of communications policy in America.
Thanks for being with us on this journey.
See you in DC!
Grant Spellmeyer