Annual Thought Leaders Forum

The Year of the IOCs!
Don’t miss the 2010 Thought Leaders series as it moves into territories yet unexplored.

Our IOC Thought Leaders are an impressive group. Their titles and job functions are diverse; their approaches to network problem-solving are unique.

What is a Thought Leader? One key to being a true thought leader is to deeply understanding the company business, the needs of its customer base, and the broader industry in which that company must thrive. The second key component has to do with how that leader leads his or her team. Leadership cannot be superficial and forced. An authentic thought leader must inspire the best and most proactive amongst his or her team – not by force but by passion.

This year, these entrepreneurial providers share their knowledge with you. Catch their brilliance in print; on-line at www.ospmag.com; and at OSP EXPO 2010.

2010 OSP Thought Leaders Participants

Brian Schrand
Senior Specialist, NE&C
Cincinnati Bell

Brian Schrand is a Senior Specialist for Network Engineering, Construction and Operations. With more than 22 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, he has held positions with the City of Cincinnati’s Telecommunications Division and with Cincinnati Bell Telephone. While at the City of Cincinnati, Brian assisted in engineering and constructing the city’s fiber network in 1991. Since joining Cincinnati Bell Telephone in 1995, Brian has held various management positions within the company, including Outside Plant Construction, Installation, Information Technology (IT), and Outside Plant Staff. Brian can be reached at brian.schrand@cinbell.com.

Joy Eldred
Regional VP - Engineering
Frontier Communications

Joy Eldred is Regional Vice President of Engineering at Frontier Communications, overseeing its service territories in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin. Her responsibilities include planning and design of voice and data networks, OSP engineering and network provisioning. Since joining the Company in 1977, Joy has held progressive management positions in operations, construction management, accounting and engineering. She was appointed Regional Vice President in July 2008. Joy can be reached at Joy.Eldred@frontiercorp.com.

Loren Sprouse
VP Engineering of Access Services
CenturyLink Corporation

Loren Sprouse, VP Access Engineering of Network Services for CenturyLink Corporation. CenturyLink is a leading provider of high-quality voice, broadband and video services over its advanced communications networks to consumers and businesses in 33 states. CenturyLink, headquartered in Monroe, La., is an S&P 500 Company and expects to be listed in the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations.

Dean Mischke
P.E. Vice President
Finley Engineering

Dean has been with Finley Engineering for more than 19 years. Dean is a BSEEE graduate of California State University and earned his Professional Engineer License in 1994, maintaining active licenses in 5 states where he provides consulting and engineering services. Dean is the Vice President and General Manager of Finley’s Wisconsin office. Dean has been active in designing fiber networks since his first project at Finley. In addition, Dean works in all aspects of central office, IP, and video implementation.

Mike Edl
Senior VP Network Services
Hawaiian Telecom

As Senior Vice President of Network Services for Hawaiian Telecom, Mike Edl oversees numerous key functions, including Engineering, Planning and Construction, Network Reliability, Field Operations, Operations Support and Provisioning. He joined the company in August 2008.

Mr. Edl brings more than 30 years of experience in telecommunications operations to Hawaiian Telcom. Most recently he served as Senior Vice President of Network Operations at Paetec, a New York-based telecommunications company that purchased McLeodUSA in February 2008.

From 1999 to 2008, Mr. Edl served as Group Vice President of Network Services for McLeodUSA in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. During this period he had responsibility for a variety of functions which included: Planning, Engineering, Field Operations, Central Office Operations, Outside Plant Construction, Facilities, Security, Warehousing, Network Management and the Repair Center.

Larry Boehm
Director – Network Implementations
TDS Telecom

Larry Boehm leads a team of 94 employees and numerous professional contracted engineers in the Network Services Department at TDS Telecommunications Corp. in Madison, Wisconsin. In his 28-year career, Boehm has advanced his technical knowledge, undertaking difficult challenges rewarded with ongoing advancement within the organization. He started his career as a TDS technician and has worked his way up to a Director level position for the 8th largest telecom company in the U.S. He is married, lives in Waunakee, Wisconsin, and enjoys spending time with his family.

Sharon Vollman
Vice President, Editorial Director of OSP® Magazine
Moderator

Sharon Vollman is Vice President, Editorial Director of OSP. She oversees all editorial processes and staff for OSP magazine, the OSP enewsletter, www.ospmag.com and leads the educational content development for the OSP EXPO and several roundtable events. Vollman has created educational partnerships with the major LECs including AT&T, BellSouth and Qwest. She has covered the telecom industry since 1996, when she joined OSP magazine as editor. Prior to that she worked in advertising with Ogilvy & Mather and CME. Vollman has a bachelor's degree in journalism/advertising from the University of Iowa.