February 20, 2018

“Original Disruptors” To Share Insights At ACA’s 25th Summit

PITTSBURGH, February 20, 2018 – The American Cable Association 25th Anniversary Summit will feature a dynamic lineup of speakers, including industry leaders and policymakers who will share their insights into the current state of the marketplace and regulatory landscape. Today, ACA announced panelists for the “Original Disruptors” discussion, which will be held on Wednesday, March 21, at 2:45 – 3:30 pm in Washington, D.C.

“Lasting Roots: The Original Disruptors” will feature four cable veterans who blazed trails as independent cable operators: Ron Duncan, CEO of GCI; Tom Might, recently retired CEO, Cable ONE; John Pascarelli, Executive Vice President, Operations, Mediacom; and Steve Weed, former Chairman of ACA and CEO of Wave Broadband, who will moderate the panel.

The panelists will discuss the pivotal decisions that helped transform their companies from fledgling organizations into powerhouse providers of advanced telecommunications services. In addition, the entrepreneurs will share their projections for the future of the industry and insight into how to thrive in today’s dramatically changing marketplace.

“All of us at ACA are thrilled to have these great leaders join us at Summit25 and to hear their thoughts on not only what it took to plant lasting roots in our industry, but also what it will take for our members to keep those roots alive as they serve their customers and communities in the years ahead,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said. “Our members are fortunate.”

Duncan founded Alaska-based GCI in 1979 that now has 2,200 employees and almost $1 billion in revenue. Last April, GCI and Liberty Interactive Corp. signed an agreement to combine GCI with certain assets of Liberty Ventures Group to create a new corporation with an enterprise value of $8.4 billion to be called GCI Liberty.

As Cable ONE CEO, Tom Might established the company as a broadband-centric operator. His leadership on broadband deployment created new business models for the industry. Currently, Cable ONE offers broadband services to 800,000 customers in 21 states.

John G. Pascarelli has 36 years of experience in the cable industry and has served as Mediacom’s Executive Vice President, Operations, since 2003. During his tenure, he led the company’s technology investment initiatives, which offer a 1-gigabit platform to customers in more than 22 states.

Weed was the founder and CEO of Wave Broadband, a West Coast-based cable and Internet provider created in 2002. Weed is an industry leader with more than 35 years of cable/broadband management experience. Recently, TPG Capital wrapped up its previously announced purchase of Wave Broadband in a $2.36 billion deal that created the sixth largest cable operator in the U.S.

The theme for this year’s ACA Summit is “Standing The Test Of Time,” a statement indicative of the endurance and dedication shown by independent operators over many years in creating a collective voice in Washington. Over the course of ACA’s history, the independent cable community always embraced the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln, who said, “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”

The ACA Summit website includes event details and secure online registration. Please visit the ACA Summit 2018 website by clicking here: ACA Summit

The event will take place at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.  This year’s Summit includes the annual “fly-in” to Washington with its members and, as such, will use the Twitter hashtag #Summit25 for all social media about the event. You can also track ACA Summit news on Twitter by following @ACASummit

About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 750 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 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/