Over 250 members of the Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative gathered in Missoula last weekend to select a board of trustees, celebrate achievements from the previous year, and learn about future

fiber projects.

“Our annual meeting is a meaningful and important part of how we operate as a cooperative” Tom Eggensperger, chair of the Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative board of trustees, told member Saturday. “Each cooperative member has a stake in the success of our company and has an equal say in selecting the leadership of our co-op. We are accountable to our customers and the communities we serve.”

Established in 1954, the Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative includes more than 15,000 members across a 6,600 square mile service area in Western Montana. Cooperative members are represented by nine trustees, one per district, and are elected to three-year terms and meet regularly, providing a review of company operations, including financials and projects.

The following trustees were re-elected at the April 29 meeting: Jim Blush (St. Ignatius), Cindy Lewis (Seeley Lake), and John Teague (Clinton). Remaining trustees up for election at future annual meetings include: Tom Eggensperger (Thompson Falls), Butch Friede (Hall), Les Iverson (Potomac), Stuart Morton (Charlo), Candy Noland-Faroni (Dixon), and Geoffery Wilson (Superior).

In addition to electing a board of trustees, CEO Jason Williams provided updates on upgrading

Blackfoot’s network to fiber-based broadband. Since 2017, Blackfoot has invested nearly $50 million to bring fiber to communities in Western Montana. Blackfoot was recently awarded seven grants through

the State of Montana’s ConnectMT program totaling over $60 million to accelerate the deployment of this cutting-edge technology in more areas.

“Blackfoot is a leader in bringing fiber-based broadband internet to rural communities in Western

Montana, and our goal is to upgrade our entire network to fiber,” said Jason Williams, CEO. “Access to

reliable, affordable high-speed internet is a must-have for businesses, education, and healthcare.

Fiber technology helps connect our customers to more opportunities and closes the so-called digital

divide between big cities and small towns.”

Blackfoot Communications delivers voice, broadband and fiber-based internet connectivity to homes and businesses in Western Montana and Eastern Idaho.