News - July 15, 2024

Keynotes Announced for The 2024 INCOMPAS Show

Uniti CEO Kenny Gunderman and NTIA’s Middle Mile Program Director Sarah Bleau to headline communications industry’s premiere networking event and trade show 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 15, 2024 – INCOMPAS, the internet and competitive networks association, today announced keynote speakers for The 2024 INCOMPAS Show, taking place October 20-22 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown. Kenny Gunderman, President and CEO of Uniti Group Inc., will kick off the show on Monday, October 21, at 9 a.m. MT, and Sarah Bleau, director of the Middle Mile Program for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will be the featured keynote on Tuesday, October 22. 

Gunderman, who has led Uniti since 2015, will share his perspective on the state of the communications industry and his outlook for the future. He also will discuss Uniti’s path forward as it merges with Windstream to create a national fiber powerhouse that will continue to bridge the digital divide with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and focus on Tier II and III markets, as well as the long-term vision for the company and what partners and customers can expect post-merger.

Gunderman has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and is focused on growing Uniti's real estate portfolio of mission-critical communications infrastructure. He has prior experience at Stephens, Lehman Brothers and KPMG, and currently serves on the board of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, the Hendrix College Board of Trustees and the NAREIT Board of Governors. 

Bleau, who joined NTIA in February 2021, has spent the better part of her career buying, building and selling fiber networks. She took on the leadership role for the Broadband Infrastructure Program in Fall 2021 and saw the program through to the award recommendations and announcements made in February 2022. 

During her keynote, Bleau will discuss NTIA’s Middle Mile Program, which provides funding for the expansion and extension of middle mile infrastructure across the U.S. and its territories. In 2023, this program allocated $980 million to fund projects for the construction, improvement or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure. Bleau will share details on Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program projects that have been awarded in the last year and how the program impacts other infrastructure initiatives.

The 2024 INCOMPAS Show will feature a full schedule, starting with a Welcome Happy Hour on Sunday, October 20; nightly networking happy hours and parties; panel discussions on Monday, October 21, and Tuesday, October 22; dedicated exhibit hours; a Buyers Forum featuring dedicated speed meeting time with the industry’s top buyers; an afternoon track dedicated for technical and operations professionals; a Women in Tech luncheon and more. 

The INCOMPAS Show is an annual event that has earned a reputation as the place for the communications industry to meet, expand their networks, build their pipelines and seal deals. During the show, attendees have a unique opportunity to explore exhibits from leading vendors, schedule meetings and network with top decision makers and participate in industry-relevant education programs, workshops and panel discussions.

Early bird registration savings of up to $150 are available until August 23. For more information, or to register, visit show.incompas.org.