Tele-Topics - 2012 Vol 1 of 4.pdf - Pioneer Telephone Cooperative ...

On behalf of the Pioneer Telephone Board of Trustees, Managementand Employees, I would like to extend our best wishesfor the New Year 2012 to all of our subscribers, customers, andmembers for a joyful, safe, prosperous and blessed New Year!I would also like to take this opportunity to extend a personalinvitation to each of you to join us at Pioneer’s 59 th AnnualMembership Meeting on Tuesday, May 1 st , at 1:30 p.m., in theExhibit Building located at the Kingfisher County Fairgrounds.The Annual Meeting affords all of us the opportunity to getacquainted with each other and it is the perfect place to hearinformation about your Cooperative, such as the latest financialinformation, the past year’s accomplishments, and future plansfor the Cooperative, which is owned by those it serves.All members attending will receive registration gifts, includinga rain gauge, an umbrella and a cap. Several cash prize drawingsas well as drawings for very nice miscellaneous items fromthe Cooperative and its wholly-owned subsidiaries will be heldthroughout the meeting, and several special drawings for grandprizes, including a 42” LED HDTV and a laptop computer, etc.,will be held at the conclusion of the meeting. We look forward tohosting you at the 59 th Annual Meeting of your Cooperative onTuesday, May 1 st in Kingfisher. I sincerely hope you can attend.As I reflect upon the past year, the Cooperative and its whollyownedsubsidiaries have witnessed a very fast paced year in2011, filled with new challenges and opportunities. As youmay have heard mesay before, we areunder very challengingtimes in theTelecom Business.The Federal CommunicationsCommission,(FCC), isnot very friendly tothe rural telecommunicationscompaniesand our abilityto continue toprovide competitivetelecom services torural America is under attack. Unfortunately, the road ahead forus will be a challenge.The Board of Trustees and Management continue to diversifyour revenue streams, review cost reduction strategies andlook for opportunities to expand our service area(s) and serviceoffering(s). We also continue to work on our internal work flowprocesses and on incentive programs to improve and lower ourcost to do business. In the very near future, survival in the newtelecom environment will mandate making some very importantand difficult decisions. Under the new FCC rulemakings handeddown in November, 2011, our once traditional high-cost fundingmechanisms and access revenue streams are now underSee General Manager’s Report - page 2PIONEER TELE-TOPICS (USPS No. 456-200) is owned by and published quarterly for thebenefit of the approximately 50,000 member-families of Pioneer Telephone Cooperative,Inc.EDITORIAL & CIRCULATION — Contact…Tele-Topics EditorMailing Address…PO Box 539, Kingfisher, OK 73750• Call…(405) 375-0327 • Fax…(405) 699-3053 • E-mail…teletopics@ptci.comRichard Ruhl • General ManagerJim Eaton - V.P. Finance & Administration • Jeff Martin - V.P. Sales & ServiceJerry Kadavy - V.P. Network Operations– B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s –President - Mike Dobrinski, OkeeneVice President - Dave Krittenbrink, OkarcheSecretary - Linda Dich Randall, OmegaTreasurer - Mary Petty, NewcastleAsst. Sec./Treas. - Leroy Lage, WatongaLoyd Benson, FrederickDennis Mueggenborg, KingfisherGail Parker, ThomasDave Shepard, HelenaCindy Green, BlanchardJoe Kegin, CrescentPam Haden, HennesseyMark Fuqua, Canton“In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminatingon the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, and familial status. (Not all prohibited bases applyto all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue,S.W., Washington, D.C., 20250-9401 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).”CAPITAL CREDIT ALLOCATIONS INFORMATIONTo obtain your Capital Credit balance,please send the membership name, townand phone numbers involved to:Pioneer Telephone Cooperative, Inc.Attn: Capital Credit DepartmentPO Box 539 • Kingfisher OK 73750or…Call Toll Free: 1-800-650-6116Periodical Postage paid at Kingfisher,OK 73750 and other additional entry offices.Member subscription rate: $2.96/yearNon-Member subscription rate: $6/year1