PA Acceleration Project Announces 2017 Pennsylvania Accelerator Award Honorees

The Pennsylvania Acceleration Awards are designed to recognize and honor organizations and leaders that are driving technology and innovation across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Awards were presented in the following categories:

Pennsylvania Acceleration Company of the Year Honorees:

• AccuWeather – Company of the Year
• D&H Distributing – Large Company of the Year
• Questeq – Small Company of the Year

Pennsylvania Acceleration Leader of the Year Honoree:

• Kenneth G. Okrepkie, Regional Manager for Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeast PA

Pennsylvania Acceleration Educator of the Year Honorees:

• Dr. Charlene Brennan, Executive Director, Colonial Intermediate Unit 20
• Dr. Rodney Ridley, Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Wilkes University
• Dr. Marcia Welsh, President, East Stroudsburg University

Pennsylvania Acceleration Champions of the Year Honorees:

• Sheri Collins, Deputy Secretary for Technology & Innovation, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
• Chuck Leonard, Executive Director, Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation (PMEDC)
• Michelle Bisbing, Director of Marketing, Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation (PMEDC)
• Kevin Dellicker, President and CEO, Dellicker Strategies
• John Dolmetsch, Founder/CIO, Business Information Group/BIG Wireless
• Bob Hagarman, Director of Wireless Business Development, Business Information Group/BIG Wireless
• Michael Kolba, Owner, Sensible Technology Solutions, LLC
• Jennifer Leinbach, Executive Director, Office of Technology & Innovation, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
• Ron Main, Chairman, Questeq
• John McElligott, CEO, York Exponential and President, The Fortress Initiative
• David Parker, Cramer’s Home Center, former State Representative
• Pittsburgh Technology Council
• Mary Frances Postupack, Vice President, Economic Development & Entrepreneurship, East Stroudsburg University
• Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania
• Sharon Thomas, Former Mayor, Borough of Pottstown
• Janet Weidensaul, Monroe 2030 Action Team

Monroe County Gigabit Project Update

The meeting also included an update from the Project Team regarding the two leading broadband providers in Monroe County: PennTeleData and NCN Data.

Pennsylvania Acceleration Project Founder Kelly Lewis announced PennTeleData/Blue Ridge Cable currently has an aggressive schedule to deploy gigabit download speeds throughout Monroe County. He explained that many communities in the West End of Monroe County already have these gigabit services. The Borough of Stroudsburg is scheduled for Spring/Summer 2018, he said.

Lewis noted that every cable user has seen price reductions. “Residential broadband prices dropped by more than 50% and speeds more than doubled within six months of the Project commencement date,” he said. “This is a huge win for Monroe County,” stated Lewis, “because every user will greatly benefit from these upgrades,” he added.

Lewis also reported that NCN Data is doing very well in its expanding footprint. He said NCN Data has started working on pole attachment permits for Readers and Delaware Water Gap areas. In Stroudsburg, they are now full GPON 1 GBPS service to Main Street and have customers online in that area. NCN Data recently completed fiber installation to 8th Street and Ann Streets.

Both companies continue to report service upgrades and more aggressive pricing, stated Lewis.

Michelle Bisbing, Director of Marketing at the Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation offered remarks on behalf of PMEDC. “PMEDC is committed to projects that improve the business climate and infrastructure in the county, and this project did just that. We greatly appreciate the willingness of Lewis Strategic to be our partner in making it happen. Additionally, the diligent work of Kevin Dellicker and Dellicker Strategies was instrumental to the success of the project. This is the third project we have worked on with Kevin and he is a true professional with vast knowledge of the telecommunications industry,” said Bisbing.

Kevin Dellicker, President and CEO of Dellicker Strategies, offered some closing remarks to commemorate the success of the Project. “The best way to make sure you can sustain a viable communications model is to pull your buying power and present yourself as a profitable target, and you can make it work,” he explained. Dellicker thanked everyone involved and noted, “I think that we’re just beginning to see continued investments in Monroe County and similar projects like this all across the state.”

Monroe County Gigabit Project meetings are hosted by the Monroe 2030 Action Team, Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation, East Stroudsburg University, and the ESU Center for Research and Economic Development.

The PA Acceleration Project is an implementation team speeding broadband, workforce and innovation initiatives across Pennsylvania. The Broadband Implementation team of Dellicker Strategies, Business Information Group and Lewis Strategic has successfully completed nearly 100 regional broadband projects in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Since 2003, industry-pioneer Dellicker Strategies has led broadband aggregation projects for schools, intermediate units, hospitals, doctors, corporations, agencies and communities. For additional information visit our website, www.PAaccelerationProject.com, and follow Accelerate Pennsylvania on Twitter @AcceleratePenna and on Instagram and Facebook @AcceleratePA.

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