JSI Promotes Two Senior Engineering Vice Presidents
Senior Ranks Expand in Response to Unprecedented Market Opportunities, Organizational Changes
January 4, 2022, Greenbelt, MD: JSI announced today the promotion of two senior members of the company’s industry-leading engineering team: Vance Gadd has been named Senior Vice President of Fiber Network Design and Implementation, and Tom Lewis has been named Senior Vice President of Broadband IP Network Design and Management, effective immediately.
“Vance and Tom are widely respected industry veterans, with several decades’ worth of experience between them,” JSI CEO Tasos Tsolakis said in making this announcement. “Our company is exceptionally fortunate to have two experts of their caliber under the same roof, particularly at this critical juncture when so many of our clients are trying to take advantage of the unprecedented state and federal resources available for the expansion and maintenance of broadband networks in the United States.”
Prior to this announcement, Vance worked for more than 34 years as a project engineer and then Vice President of Design/OSP Engineering at the premier engineering firm Mid-State Consultants, Inc., which was acquired by JSI in August 2021. Tom has 30 years of telecom engineering experience, and most recently, he served for 16 years as the Vice President of Engineering for N-Com, Inc., a full-service engineering firm focused on rural telecommunications companies, utilities, and government agencies, which JSI acquired in September 2020.
In their new roles, Vance will lead outside plant activities across all divisions of the company, and Tom will lead all broadband IP activities, while also working with other key members of the JSI team on product innovation initiatives.
Commenting on the two promotions, Tasos noted that these changes had been made not only to respond to the ever-increasing demands within the broadband market, but to further enhance JSI’s senior engineering ranks as two other members of the company’s engineering team begin different professional transitions of their own.
“Steve Kidd, President of Mid-State Consultants, has decided to officially begin his retirement on January 30, 2022, which he graciously agreed to postpone last year in order to lead the company through its post-acquisition transition period,” Tasos said. “During his tenure at Mid-State Consultants, Steve oversaw the company’s successful transformation into one of the undisputed leaders in outside plant engineering in the United States. We are grateful that he has agreed to continue providing advice on an as-needed basis, even after his official retirement date.”
“Also, Dennis Wisdom, President of N-Com, has decided to transition into a new role as JSI’s Innovation Leader for Broadband Services, effective January 1, 2022,” Tasos added. “Dennis has been the innovation engine behind many of N-Com’s leading IP network services products, so we are excited that he has decided to continue spearheading those efforts, while working with our team and our customers on a part-time basis.”
After transitioning into their new roles, Vance will continue to be based in JSI’s office in Nephi, Utah, and Tom and Dennis will remain in the company’s Lubbock, Texas office.
About JSI
JSI is a full-service consulting firm and broadband solutions leader, providing a complete range of financial, engineering, management, operational, regulatory, and strategic assistance to independent, community-based communications providers. For 60 years, JSI’s business knowledge, experience, and demonstrated record of success have helped its clients plan and realize long-term success and profitability. JSI has relationships with approximately 750 communications entities in 46 states and several US territories. Headquartered in Greenbelt, Maryland, JSI also has offices in Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. For more information, visit the JSI website at https://www.jsitel.com/.