Rural Telecommunications Congress Meets in Lexington on October 10 -12

Gov. Fletcher delivers the conference keynote address during the Rural TeleCon '05 banquet at the Radisson Hotel in Lexington.      Hal Rogers, U. S. Representative, speaks to conference attendees.     Mike Inman, Kentucky's Commissioner of Technology, welcomes Rural TeleCon '05 visitors to the Kentucky Horse Park.     Tubby Smith, head basketball coach of the University of Kentucky, addresses conference attendees.

The ninth annnual conference of the Rural Telecommunications Congress (Rural TeleCon '05) was hosted by ConnectKentucky in Lexington on October 10-12.  The Rural Telecommunications Congress is a national stakeholder organization dedicated to advancing telecommunications services, particularly broadband digital communications, for community and economic development in rural communities.  According to Richard Civille, president of the Rural Telecommunications Congress, Kentucky was selected to host the conference due to its progressive commitment to technology expansion. 

Rural TeleCon ’05 addressed important technology issues including: broadband infrastructure expansion; technology-based community and economic development; state success stories; e-health and education applications; and broadband policy and regulation.  The conference, themed “States as Broadband Laboratories,” brought together government leaders from federal, state and local levels, and technology professionals from a broad range of fields and small and rural business owners.  Approximately 400 people attended the conference representing 40 states and four countries.
 
Speakers at the event included:  Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher; Congressman Hal Rogers; University of Kentucky head basketball Coach Tubby Smith; Appalachian Regional Commission Federal Co-Chair Anne Pope; Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Director Dena Puskin; Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority Pete Johnson; and former Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hilda Gay Legg.  Each of these exciting keynote speakers brought to the conference a different and appealing perspective on the importance of broadband technology and its impact on community and economic development.

ConnectKentucky is an alliance of technology-minded businesses, government entities and universities working together to accelerate technology in the commonwealth.  Leveraging the collective knowledge of representatives from state and local government, universities and numerous private sector companies, ConnectKentucky is accelerating technology in the commonwealth through broadband expansion, research, governmental affairs, public relations and high-tech recruiting. 

Additional information about Rural TeleCon '05 may be found at the following Web site address:  http://connectkentucky.org/events/rtc.

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