Community Broadband Awards
What are the NATOA Community Broadband Awards?
In recognition of the broadening role of government in technology, NATOA proudly honors outstanding individuals and projects that seek to improve government and public options in broadband technology. This exceptional awards program was initiated to recognize and highlight some of the many extraordinary efforts going on at the local level to bring the benefits of technology to American communities. Throughout the United States, numerous exceptional leaders in government, business, organization and the community are serving as champions of local interests and needs in broadband and technology. NATOA’s Community Broadband Awards annually recognize these efforts and achievements. The Award recipients are highlighted on NATOA’s website.
What are the Award categories?
Awards are presented annually in the following SIX categories:
- Community Broadband Hero of the Year - individual award
- Community Broadband Visionary of the Year - individual award
- Community Broadband Wireless Project of the Year
- Community Broadband Fiber Project of the Year
- Community Network of the Year
- Community Broadband Organization of the Year
How do I nominate my community for a Community Broadband Award?
The nominee and/or nominator DOES NOT need to be a member of NATOA - these awards are designed to recognize the best of the best throughout the county. Nominations are due by Friday, August 6, 2010. There is a $100 fee per nomination for NATOA members and $150 fee per nomination for non-members. Nominations may be submitted online. Click here to access the nomination form. Winners will be announced at the 2010 Annual Conference taking place September 29 - October 1, 2010 in Washington, DC. If you have questions, please contact Joanne Hovis at (301) 933-1488 or jhovis@CTCnet.us.
Who Were the Recipients in 2009?
Community
Broadband Hero of the Year
John L. Byrd, Mobile Command Unit leader and Sergeant of the Harris County (TX) Sheriff’s office — for building mobile command unit capabilities that, during and after Hurricane Ike, deployed to the affected area for a record 72 days to enable emergency communications and field emergency 911 calls. In the absence of this effort, the affected community would have been without emergency services during a major natural disaster.
Community
Broadband Visionary of the Year
Chris Vein, Chief Information Officer of the City and County of San Francisco — for providing free broadband Internet service to residents of San Francisco public housing, by piloting high-bandwidth health care services over fiber optics for vulnerable communities, and for demonstrating vision and innovation in community broadband solutions.
Community
Broadband Wireless Project of the Year
Digital Redwoods, Digital Rio Dell, and Access Humboldt , a series of municipal and community wireless broadband media projects that make wireless service available to vulnerable communities in six areas of Humboldt County in rural California.
Community
Broadband Project of the Year
MI Connection
(UTOPIA) — a public broadband communications network owned and operated by a consortium of municipalities in North Carolina that refused to accept sub-standard broadband and cable service and decided to deliver better quality themselves.
Community Broadband Fiber
Network of the Year
Bristol Virginia Utilities — for pioneering community fiber to the home and for demonstrating how true broadband can bring jobs and economic development to rural America.
Community
Broadband Organization of the Year
City of Monticello, MN —
for its vision and courage in planning a community fiber-to-the-home network and for fighting in the courts against an anti-competition incumbent for its right to determine its own broadband and economic future.
Click here for a list of 2007 Award Winners.