Category: Staff Feature

Name:  Julia Thamann

Role on the Project:  Utility Coordinator

My Story:  I received my Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design and worked in that field for 8 years doing design work and project management before transitioning into the Telecom field, where I’ve been working for the past three years. I joined the KY Wired project over a year ago, and it’s one of the best jobs I’ve had.

What motivates me is the opportunity to help. I’m passionate about giving back, and love that the work I’m doing is contributing to something that’s going to help so many people. This project will really make a difference in our state! It’s going to have such an impact on education, healthcare and emergency services, as well as bring business opportunities into rural areas. It’s going to change Kentucky in a very positive way! I’m very excited to be working with companies that are so philanthropically minded as part of this project as well. Both Black & Veatch and Ledcor are very involved in giving back to their communities, which makes working with them a very positive experience.

I grew up in Northern Kentucky, though I call Lexington, KY home now. I’ve lived here for over 15 years and have seen quite a few wonderful changes to the city in that time. I’m the middle of 5 children, and most of my siblings have kids of their own. I love being an aunt! I’m a member of the Professional Women’s Forum, where I work on the philanthropy committee. I enjoy volunteering for various causes, such as the Lexington Humane Society, GleanKY, and the International Coastal Cleanup. I’m an artist at heart, and I’m also an avid belly dancer! I study American Tribal Style and tribal fusion belly dance with Mecca Live Studio and Gallery and Shisha Tribal Belly Dance, and I absolutely love it! I’ve been dancing and performing for over three years, and my fellow dancers have become my family. I enjoy camping, hiking and being in nature, and am dedicated to preserving the natural world for future generations.

Name:  Matthew Machlied

Role on Project: Field Splicing Manager

My Story:  I grew up in Villa Hills, Kentucky.  Located in Northern Kentucky, I went to High School at Dixie Heights High School where I graduated in 1998.  I attended Northern Kentucky Technical College, and soon after joined the United States Air Force in March 1999.  I served nine years Active Duty Service in Communications Cable and Antenna Maintenance.  Within my service, I was blessed to be trained and mentored by some of the best in Telecommunications, from Fiber and Copper Splicing, Networking to Antenna Maintenance.  My service has sent me all over the globe from Texas, Portugal, Afghanistan, to California where I met my wife who I have my only son with.  After my nine years of service, I decided to Honorably Discharge out of the military as a Staff Sergeant for a more stable life.  I am the youngest of five siblings, and my family has always been of great importance to me. Which led my wife and I to move back to Northern Kentucky where I was employed at Cincinnati Bell.  I was at Cincinnati Bell for nine years and held many positions and roles there, from Fiber and Copper Repair Technician, Splicing, to Prequalification Technician.   Until I found Ledcor and The Kentucky Wired Project and made the move to where I am now.

Why I Joined the DBLLC:  After experiencing some of the worst and dated telecommunication services all over the Commonwealth, I wanted to be part of a team that was dedicated to build the First, State-wide Fiber Optic Network in the United States.  The opportunity to not only contribute to my fellow Kentuckians but to work and be a part of a company such as Ledcor to hone and mold my own career goals.  The past twenty months on this project has been trying, but the benefit to the State of Kentucky that this Fiber Optic Infrastructure will bring to the Commonwealth is immeasurable.

Name:  Gale Williams

Role on the Project:  Project Controller for the LTS portion to the DBLLC

My Story:  I am a Kentuckian, born in Harlan and raised in London.  After completing my Accounting degree at George Washington University in D.C, I have worked in New Orleans, Atlanta, Houston and now Lexington as both an Accountant and Entrepreneur.  Having lived in several different states, I have been fortunate to see, experience and learn many things that interest me including history, culture, cooking, sports and even salt-water fishing.  No matter where I lived, I always missed KY, the kind people and beautiful scenery.  My husband, Tom (also a Kentuckian) and our two fur-babies, Colonel and Rascal are happy to be back in the Bluegrass.  It’s nice to be home!

Why I joined the DBLLC:  My husband and I were living in Houston, TX for his oil and gas career.  Just as we were considering making some changes, I learned about the opportunity at Ledcor through my sister, Holly Hopkins Scoville.  Having lived in technology-oriented cities such as Atlanta and Houston, I immediately recognized the opportunity and impact this project would bring to Kentuckians.  I am honored to be a part of helping Kentucky lay a framework for a bright and successful future.

 

Name: David Holder

Role on the Project: Field Engineering Manager

My Story:  I was born and raised in Central Kentucky where I learned to love everything outdoors. As a child camping, fishing, hunting, and watching Kentucky Basketball were my favorite past times. As an adult I went on to complete a degree in Drafting & Design as well as Civil Engineering Technology. After a short period of working for the KYTC, I began looking for more in my career which landed me at Big Ass Fans for a couple of years. In August of 2015 I began doing pole data collections for the DBLLC and since then I have held roles in comm make ready, power make ready, field construction, and now field engineering.

Why you joined the DBLLC:  I joined the DBLLC to pursue opportunities that will shape my career for the rest of my life. My parents were born and raised in Eastern Kentucky and I know how much this state needs to get up to speed with the rest of the world. Hopefully, at the end we can all say that we were a part of something great, something that changes Kentucky forever.

Name:  Jason Parrett

Role on the Project:  Project Coordinator, helping track production and working with the project schedule

My Story:   I grew up in a small farm town in Ohio where I worked as a construction laborer until I moved to Kentucky to go to school at Eastern Kentucky University for a B.S. in Construction Management. After graduating, I stayed in Kentucky to live and work on the KentuckyWired project. I am and avid outdoorsman and enjoy hunting and fishing, both in the Bluegrass as well as taking hunting trips to western states.

Why I joined the DBLLC:   I joined this project because it is unique due to its very large scale, and I feel I will be able to learn a lot and start my career out with a great base to grow on. Kentucky has a lot of potential, with a great workforce and lots of smart people, and this project will be a great tool that everyone can use to move forward together and impact the state in a positive way.

 

Name: Parth Patel

Role on the Project: Utility Coordinator / Project Facilitator – Aerial Make Ready

My Story:  I was born in Ahmedabad, one of the major cities in India. I completed my education in Electronics &Telecommunications engineering from Gujrat University and moved to the U.S.A. in 2010 with my parents. I enjoy being with family and in the company of friends. I like to travel and explore new places. I have been to U.A.E., U.K. & Maldives apart from the U.S.A. to visit prominent landmarks in the world and enjoy natural beauty. I would like to go to the Arctic Circle to enjoy the mesmerizing views of “Aurora Borealis”. In addition, I am a big fan Cricket and tennis. On weekends, I often go to UK Cricket Club for playing professional cricket matches.

I arrived in the city of Lexington, Kentucky and started working in an e-commerce industry as Process Assistant. Thereafter, I decided to change my career path towards construction project management after developing the interest in construction industry. I used to perform freelance project scheduling for one of my family member’s construction business. I always give preference to maintaining balance between my personal life and professional life which I think this job is helping me towards. I always desired to be in a situation that will push my boundaries and enable me to grow by widening my horizons which I achieved by working as a Project Facilitator at DBLLC.

Why I joined the DBLLC:  I joined the KIH project in May 2018 as a “Project Facilitator” and am learning the every day nuances of telecommunication construction. One of the motivations for joining the DBLLC on the KIH project is that I can make a significant contribution to the community I live in by increasing the reach of technology in the state of Kentucky.  Also, by gaining experience of working with two construction industry giants, which will lead to my professional growth.

 

Name:  Roger Pierce

Role on the Project:  In my role as Materials Manager I plan, schedule, coordinate and manage the flow of materials and OEM equipment.   Since starting on the project less than a year ago, I have processed over 2.5 million feet of material!

Short story:   I have enjoyed a career of over 35 years in the telecommunications industry.  Of that, 20 years in supply chain management.  I am a native Kentuckian born in Pulaski County and raised in Mercer County.  I now live in Lexington, KY with my wife of over 20 years, Christina.  We share our home with our two retired Greyhounds and sometimes others as we are members of Bluegrass Greyhound Adoption and have the occasional foster.  We have a daughter, Chandler, who is pursuing her degree in electrical engineering, a son Seth and his wife Victoria and our granddaughter Presley, that we love to spoil rotten.  I enjoy anything outdoors but am most passionate about summers boating on the weekends.  I love shooting sports, fishing, working on cars, and home projects. Of course, being from Kentucky I would be remiss if I left out that I am an avid University of Kentucky sports fan.  Go Cats!

Why you joined the DBLLC:  I joined the KentuckyWired project because it seemed a natural fit for my career skill set and looked like the kind of project where I could make a difference.  I personally believe the KentuckyWired project will have an impact in the state of Kentucky for generations to come and as a life-long Kentuckian, I can always take pride in my involvement.

Name:  Austin Hake

Role on the Project:  Subcontract Manager

My Story:  I graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor in Comprehensive Economics. I began working with Black & Veatch in 2012 in their Construction & Procurement group and joined the KentuckyWired team in late 2015. I enjoy finding myself in new environments that push me outside my comfort zone and moving to Lexington was exactly that. The availability of bourbon is pretty nice too. Outside of the office I enjoy camping, backpacking, soccer, or anything else that gets me outdoors.

I moved to Lexington in November of 2015 to take on the role of Subcontract Manager for the KentuckyWired project. The people I’ve met have shown me Bluegrass hospitality and provided me a variety of new experiences that wouldn’t have otherwise been available to me.

Why I chose the DBLLC:   I joined the DBLLC to build upon my career and continue developing in the field of Telecom. I hope the KentuckyWired project will have an immediate impact on the educational opportunities available for students, both inside and outside the classroom. The availability of information online is an incredible resource for anyone, but to have access at a young age can create possibilities that might otherwise go unrealized.

Name: Lilly Neal

Role on the Project: Document Control Coordinator

Short Story:  Lilly is originally from a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio (Parma Heights), but moved to Kentucky in 2007 after graduating from Huntington University with a bachelor’s degree in English. During her first job out of college, she read over 40,000 engineering reports, and her interest in producing high-quality documents and in standardizing processes blossomed.

Lilly started working on the KentuckyWired project in 2016 as a Document Control Coordinator. She is driven by a desire for constant improvement, which came in handy with her position on the project.

Lilly owns her own business, Letters by Lilly, where she re-purposes Scrabble letter tiles into new creations. In her free time, Lilly enjoys reading (though she doesn’t read engineering reports for fun anymore – only as a freelancer), especially 19^th century British literature, and she has written a novel of her own, also set in the 19^th century. Her friends and faith in God keep her sane.

Why I joined the DBLLC:  When Lilly was asked to interview for a Document Control position with Ledcor on the KentuckyWired project, she was interested to learn about this new type of project that had never been attempted before. Internet access is so important in helping others constantly improve, and Lilly was excited to be part of this innovative endeavor.

Name:  Duane Anthony

Role on the Project:  Lead Construction Manager

My Short Story:  I currently reside in Acworth Georgia, only a few miles from my hometown of Marietta, born and raised some 50 plus years ago. I am an IBEW trained class A journeyman, specializing in commercial and industrial wiring.  I went on to achieve my Master Electrician license, which allowed me to start my own electrical contracting business. I sold the company to a cellular wireless construction company and became their in-house electrical department. Since then, I have been presented with several opportunities allowing me to grow my electrical experience, which catapulted me into the telecommunications world. Six years ago, I was given the opportunity to join B&V and have worked on several different projects, including the KentuckyWired project, where I’m currently the lead construction manager for the western part of the state.

Living in Georgia and working in this industry, these types of projects typically keep me away for a considerable amount of time. Fortunately, I have very understanding wife which allows me to continue being a part of projects that better the lives of others. Traveling from place to place gives us the opportunity to see new places and meet some interesting and great people along the way.

Why I Joined the DBLLC:  When I was offered the chance to come to the KentuckyWired project, I couldn’t have been happier. This project has so much promise for the state of Kentucky and its residents. These types of builds are hard, and technology is ever changing, but are worth the effort to further commerce in the state of Kentucky. I knew this was a project I wanted to be a part of and wanted to say I was a part of KentuckyWired. Once it is complete and the residents of Kentucky can enjoy the fruits of our labor, I believe they will all be proud of the end result and other states will do the same.