Halstead Named Executive Director of Partnership for a Connected Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Oct. 31, 2013 -- Partnership for a Connected Illinois (PCI) announced this week that Phillip Halstead has been named the organization’s executive director.
 
Halstead, formerly of South Charleston, WV, has joined PCI, also known as Broadband Illinois, following three decades of work in government affairs, organization management, technology advocacy and economic development.
 
“Phil is the ideal candidate to take the lead role at PCI,” said Bob Taylor, the organization’s board chairman. “His proven and extensive history mobilizing resources toward a strategic vision, as well as his experience building technology-based organizations, fits PCI’s needs perfectly. We look forward to having Phil lead and convene our broadband deployment and advocacy efforts in Illinois.”
 
Most recently, Halstead served as the CEO and executive director of the West Virginia Regional Technology Park Corporation, overseeing a development that included 800,000 square feet of office and laboratory space.
 
Prior to that, he spent four years as the CEO of Florida LambdaRail, LLC, a nonprofit membership association of 12 research universities and 30 affiliates, operating a 1,540 mile state-spanning fiber optic network.
 
Halstead, who earned his Ph.D. from Florida State University, has held various other management positions at technology and private sector institutions.
 
He was the manager of government relations for both Nabisco Brands and Clorox. Halstead also was the CEO and principal of Halstead Associates, a venture that provided multi-client strategy, as well as business and technology development services to corporations, associations and consulting firms.
 
“I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity,” Halstead said. “This is an extremely important time for Illinois and the progress of its broadband infrastructure. This is a unique opportunity and I see enormous potential in The Partnership for a Connected Illinois and the organization’s current and future goals.”
 
Halstead said he plans to continue building a broad-based community of members that includes public research universities, and other higher education institutions, K-12, libraries, public safety, health care, public media and other key anchor institutions. He also looks forward to building relationships with private sector internet providers.
 
Charles Benton, Vice Chairman for PCI’s board of directors, said Halstead’s boundary-spanning experience will serve the organization well.
 
“Phil brings a great track record of visionary organization leadership to PCI as its new executive director,” Benton said. “He will help lead the organization through our building new partnerships where our mission of broadband data and development can be applied through multiple sectors to meeting basic economic and social needs. We welcome Phil to Illinois and the new opportunities for growth he brings to PCI.”

Halstead will attend the Broadband Communities Conference in Tinley Park, set for Nov. 5-7.
 
Halstead will replace former executive director Drew Clark, who resigned from the organization in July to resume his work with broadband-related interests on a national level.



The Partnership for a Connected Illinois promotes opportunities that high-speed internet offers for jobs, education, energy efficiency, healthcare, public safety, agriculture and government. We collect and publish through our Broadband Illinois website telecom maps and information, collaborate with internet providers and economic development officials for deployment, and educate individuals and organizations on how to effectively use broadband. We were created by the Illinois Legislature, with a state charter and are now a Springfield-based 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. Learn more at http://broadbandillinois.org and connect at http://facebook.com/broadbandillinois.

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Partnership for a Connected Illinois 1337 Wabash Ave. Springfield, IL 62704 Phone: (217) 886-4228 Fax: (217) 718-4546 info@broadbandillinois.org