Halstead, Staff Address Illinois Delegates at BBC Breakfast

Nathan Woodside
Published: November 8, 2013

The Partnership for a Connected Illinois (PCI) convened nearly 100 of the state’s top stakeholders, government officials and providers for breakfast amid the Broadband Communities economic development conference in Tinley Park on Wednesday.

The event presented an opportunity for conference attendees from Illinois to network. It also gave new PCI Executive Director Phil Halstead the chance to address his future colleagues on only his third day on the job.

Introducing Halstead, PCI Board Vice Chairman Charles Benton said Halstead was selected from a large pool of qualified leaders, but his experience stood above the rest. 

“We are enormously proud of the fact that Phil Halstead has joined PCI as our new executive director,” Benton said. “In Phil we have a proven leader and visionary.”

Benton added Halstead’s top priority will be to find new partnerships to keep the organization sustainable beyond the federal grant period that founded PCI.

Halstead said PCI has a good reputation among technology and government entities throughout the nation.

“The foremost thing that has gripped me about Illinois since I’ve been here is that Illinois is an absolute hotbed of innovation,” he said. “I’ve been around, and PCI is a very strong brand. This brand is recognized, not just in Illinois, but outside.”

Halstead continued that PCI and the State of Illinois is entering a new, post American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, era.

“We’re going to have to be entrepreneurial…  Our mission is to further high-speed internet connectivity in the State of Illinois, simply put. That’s the mission of everybody here. Fulfilling that mission helps every anchor institution, helps every citizen, it helps every carrier and service provider.”

Halstead said the key to success is building a strong and dedicated community with the same mission. He said he plans to visit as many communities as he can to meet with officials, providers and stakeholders to develop a new strategic development plan for PCI that will include new business models.

Wednesday’s event was sponsored by the Bluebird Network, a leading Missouri and Illinois telecommunications company that provides 6,000 miles of high-speed broadband and fiber optic connections to Midwestern communities.

Mike Morey, the firm’s CEO and President gave a presentation at the breakfast, introducing Bluebird Network to attendees.

The breakfast also featured a presentation by PCI Regional eTeam Leader Clayton Black, who outlined the organizations function and mission.