Corning Inc. and Lightwave presented Todd Way, CEO of Roseburg, OR’s Douglas Fast Net, with the 2022 FTTXcellence Award on June 13, 2022, at Fiber Connect 2022 in Nashville, TN. The award, now in its 19th year, recognizes an individual who has advanced the use of optical access networks in the Americas.
Way was cited for his leadership in deploying high-speed broadband services via fiber to the premises in Roseburg and surrounding communities in Oregon’s Douglas County.
“There are two things about Todd that make him stand out as a leader and fiber advocate,” according to an essay that accompanied his nomination from one of Way’s peers. “First, while he demonstrates a wealth of experience and knowledge in the industry, Todd is not biased by it. He’s confident that there is a better way to do things and humble enough to know he doesn’t have all the answers.
“Second, he’s deeply involved in his business and works closely with all of his employees, setting the example for temperament and tempo. He makes quick decisions and drives the team to learn through execution. It comes from a desire to understand, to help, and to make the business better. While Todd is deeply involved, he doesn’t micromanage. Todd’s trust in his team empowers them to leverage their experience to put that knowledge to work in new fiber-based projects.”
“Beyond spearheading DFN’s growth and success over the years, Todd stands out as a leader and advocate for making rural fiber deployments faster, less expensive, and more efficient. With his desire to understand, help, and make the business better, Todd maintains deep involvement with his employees, working closely with them and encouraging them to learn through innovation and execution,” said Kevin Bourg, director of outside plant connectivity solutions at Corning Optical Communications, in announcing Way as this year’s honoree.
Way received an award of Steuben glass in recognition of his achievements. A donation also was made in her name to US Ignite, a non-profit organization that seeks to act as a catalyst for communications network advancement as well as for innovation in smart city services. Mari Silbey, senior director of partnerships and outreach for US Ignite, spoke during the ceremony on behalf of the organization.
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