A MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

by JASON MOOTHART

It’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through 2022, but as they say, time flies when you are having fun!

It has been a busy year here at InterBel: we’ve continued to cut our customers within Eureka over to fiber, bringing us even closer to our goal of equipping every Eureka resident with highspeed, reliable fiber-optic internet. We have also continued to expand our fiber network into the surrounding communities. InterBel’s fiber network now extends as far south as Clydesdale Outpost, allowing us to support the growing population and increasing demand in Whitefish.

The Tobacco Valley has seen unprecedented growth in the past two years, with new construction numbers doubling since 2020. As we welcome these new businesses and residents into the Valley, we are also experiencing increased demand on our network. Our customers are consuming 50 percent more bandwidth than they were two years ago, and we continue to meet that demand.

I am excited to share that our InterBel family is also growing! We have added four new teammates in the past six months: Sean McCracken, Support Specialist, Caleb Ravitch, Student Intern, Andy Escobar, Materials and Purchasing Manager, and Troy Unrein, Director of Operations. As a small, communityfocused cooperative, it is important for us to celebrate the individuals who make our work possible. In this third edition of InterBel Happenings, you can read about our Lead Customer Service Representative Rebekah Apeland, whose passion for serving others goes beyond equipping them with highspeed fiber-optic internet; and Central Office Technician Rick McCracken, whose nearly 30-year career in telecommunications has taken him all over the western United States before finally bringing him back to Eureka.

Thank you to Rebekah, Rick, and every other member of the InterBel team whose hard work and dedication are making the Tobacco Valley a better place to live, work and play. And of course, thank you to you–our customers–for continuing to support your local connected cooperative.

Jason Moothart

Jason Moothart

General Manager, InterBel

P.S. Have you seen our new website yet? We were thrilled to unveil this sleek, streamlined website in June. It’s now easier than ever to pay your bill, request support, and learn technology tips and tricks. Check it out at www.interbel.com!