Broadband industry veteran John Walburn named Conexon COO to drive operational efficiencies, expand rural broadband

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rural fiber-optic network solutions leader Conexon is focusing on its rapid, continuous business growth and expansion within the broadband industry with the addition of a new leadership role. Industry veteran John Walburn, of Queen Creek, Ariz., has been named Conexon's Chief Operating Officer.

The newly added position speaks to Conexon's expanding business need for a dedicated senior executive to create company-wide operational efficiencies while more closely integrating its numerous service divisions. Walburn's appointment follows the July appointment of Abby Carere as Chief Customer Experience Officer, a move to meet the evolving need for a dedicated senior leader to spearhead new initiatives to take Conexon Connect's subscriber experience to the next level.

As COO, Walburn will oversee Conexon's multifaceted network operations, development, construction, regulatory and funding divisions in partnership with existing SVP leadership. In Carere's expanded role, she is charged with oversight and integration of the company's sales, marketing, business development, account management and customer care divisions, uniting both Conexon and internet service provider entity Conexon Connect teams as they advance a shared vision for customer-centric fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services. Conexon's Chief Financial Officer, Matthew Blain, continues in his role, working closely with Carere and Walburn on strategic growth initiatives and the development of new resources to position Conexon to continue its success in delivering connectivity to underserved parts of America.

"Conexon's exponential growth is driven by the ongoing need for broadband in rural communities, and our commitment and ability to meet that need," Conexon Founding Partner and co-CEO Randy Klindt, said. "With the growth we have experienced, it has been critical to stay dynamic, both internally as an organization and externally within the industry. The creation of the Chief Operating Officer role, along with the Chief Customer Experience Officer, marks key steps forward in our growth trajectory, as we focus on streamlining business processes and integrating our teams more closely while keeping the customer experience at the forefront."

Walburn joins Conexon from Arizona-based cable provider Cable One, with a decades-long executive leadership background in operational performance, strategic planning, and cross-functional team leadership. Prior to his five-year tenure at Cable One, Walburn held leadership roles at Missouri-based Fidelity Communications and Illinois-based Consolidated Communications.

"Operations are at the heart of how every broadband industry leader serves its customers," Walburn said. "As COO, I am excited to turn my focus to implementing strategies at Conexon that achieve significant results for both our business and our customers as we build a better future across rural America."

About Conexon
Conexon is an industry-leading broadband network design, construction and operations firm working with electric cooperatives, communities and other entities to deploy fiber to the home across rural America. Since its inception a decade ago, Conexon has collaborated with electric cooperatives across 80 markets to launch and deploy fiber-to-the-home networks in their territories, with more than 20 projects now reaching 100 percent of members. The company's internet service provider, Connect, today delivers multi-gigabit-speed internet across many of those markets. Through Conexon's work with its partners, nearly 3 million rural Americans now have access to fiber to the home, with more than 1.1 million connected. The company has designed more than 200,000 miles of fiber and builds more than 50,000 miles annually. With more than $2 billion in federal, state, and local grants and subsidies for FTTH projects, Conexon and its partners have collectively secured more federal broadband funding for fiber construction than any other group in the country.

Cindy Parks
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SOURCE Conexon