News

Statement from the Blackfoot Telephone Board of Trustees on the Retirement Announcement of District 6 Trustee, Bill Teague

Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative
http://www.blackfoot.com (Blackfoot) Trustee Bill Teague announced his
retirement effective November 1, 2010. The Board accepted the news with regret – and with gratitude for Bill’s 27 years of remarkable
service to the company, their employees, and stakeholders.

Bill’s tenure with Blackfoot started long before his service on the Board. In the early 1950’s he helped his father, Ray, and other
forward-looking Montanans by going door to door soliciting help to fund a telephone cooperative that would allow all businesses
and residences to have access to a phone line. At the time, community members in their hometown of Clinton had to share one
phone which was located at the town store.

In 1954, Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative was officially formed thanks to the
Teague family. Ray Teague became one of the founding Trustees, serving until May of 1983, when Bill took over his seat as a
member of the Board of Trustees.

In the 27 years to follow, Bill was an active and valued member of Blackfoot’s Board. Bill served as Board President from 1998
to 2002, and again from 2003 to 2005. Under his leadership, he helped usher in such milestones as the complete conversion to
digital switching and now an Internet protocol (IP) Ethernet network. As President he saw Blackfoot become the first rural
Montana Company to allow customers to select their long distance service company and to provide local number access to the
Internet. He oversaw the roll out of digital wireless services, competitive communications services in Missoula and robust
software services for the utility industry, as well as the acquisition of exchanges from Continental Telephone and US WEST.

"During my time at Blackfoot, I have had the pleasure of working with a great group of people," said Bill Teague. "I will miss visiting with
customers in my district and standing side by side with an accomplished board and leader and a company with an unwavering
commitment to excellence."

"The entire Blackfoot organization is grateful to Bill for his many contributions to this company. Bill’s vast industry and company
knowledge, business acumen and vision for the future and humor will be greatly missed. His dedication to the Cooperative members
and unwavering belief in the cooperative way of doing business will continue to set the benchmark for decades to come," said Joan
Mandeville, CEO of Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative.

About Blackfoot Telecommunications Group

Named after the Blackfoot River running through much of the territory it serves, the Blackfoot (Blackfoot) Telecommunications Group was
originally established in 1954 as Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative.

Blackfoot offers state-of-the-art telecommunications, Internet and data
solutions to customers in Missoula and throughout Montana and Idaho. Headquartered in Missoula, Montana, Blackfoot employs more than 130
Montanans.

Blackfoot can be reached at 406-541-5000 or through its web site at http://www.blackfoot.com. Connect Globally. Partner Locally.

1221 N. Russell St.

Missoula, MT 59808

Home

Contact: Kate Olney

Blackfoot Telecommunications Group

Phone: (406) 541-5020

Fax: (406) 532-5018

Posted in:

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.