Clarksville, TN – General manager of CDE Lightband, Brian D. Taylor received the James D. Donovan Individual Achievement Award during the American Public Power Association’s Public Power Connect: Virtual Summit & Business Meeting. Brian Solsbee, Executive Director of TMEPA, presented the award to Taylor at the June Power Board meeting.
The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the electric utility industry and to public power.
Brian has been dedicated to CDE Lightband and electric utilities for 38 years. He has a wide range of experience and knowledge that has helped him lead the organization and the many associations with which he is involved.
He played a key role in taking CDE Lightband into the broadband business and through dedication and focus he was able to grow a struggling business to one that is successful and well led. He has led a thriving organization that is known as a premier leader in the AMI, SCADA and other utility best practices that many other organizations model themselves after.
Brian is a tireless advocate for all things and all people in the electric utility world. He is dedicated to not only his employees but works to represent all industry employees. Brian’s leadership in the industry serves as an example for many young leaders entering the industry, and he has become a strong mentor to many of them.
About the American Public Power Association
The American Public Power Association (APPA) is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. We represent public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve, and the 93,000 people they employ.
Our association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. Our members strengthen their communities by providing superior service, engaging citizens, and instilling pride in community-owned power.
About CDE Lightband
CDE Lightband is a municipally-owned public power and broadband service provider serving 72,000 electric and 22,000 broadband customers with the city limits of Clarksville, TN.
CDE Lightband provides reliable utilities delivered at the speed of light. Our service area, consisting of 100 square miles within the municipal boundaries, includes 892 miles of power lines and 960 miles of fiber optic cable.
Our world-class Fiber Optic Network keeps electric costs low and allows us to deliver exceptional products and constant innovation. The network provides savings of over $1 million annually in operating costs and provides over $5 million annually in income for electrical grid improvements that result in half as many large scale power outages compared to peer cities.
Additionally, access to our network increases home values by 3% or an average of over $5,000, according to the Fiber to the Home Council. Based in large part on access to the superior digital products provided by CDE Lightband, Clarksville has been designated a first 50 “Next Century City.”
CDE Lightband offers Electricity, Internet, Digital TV and Telephone services with blazing fast speed and superior performance … with the additional convenience of 24/7 local support and bundling all your utilities into a single bill.
Our staff includes 200 full-time employees, a management team with over 100 years of combined industry expertise and governance provided by a board of five local business leaders.
For more information, visit their website at www.cdelightband.com
