Amy Tykeson
President/CEO
BendBroadband
Why Her? Among Tykeson’s many local and national roles is one where she’s overseen a system that’s been among the most aggressive small systems in rolling out new technology and services. CableFAX’s Independent Exec of the Year in ’08, Tykeson also enjoyed capturing our technology award for independent operators last year. Offering higher speeds and HD “is all about flexibility,” Tykeson says. A tagline Bend used sums it up: “We’re the local dog. We better be good.”
Peer to Peer: Bend’s pursuit of tech excellence earns raves from Tykeson’s peers. “If you want to follow a leader like BendBroadband, you’d better be ready to hustle,” says Gary Shorman, President/CEO, Eagle Communications. Digital Hot List honoree Bob Gessner, President of Massillon Cable TV, notes: “They spend the time to think about the future and take the risks involved to develop new methods and innovations. And they’re always willing to share the wealth of their experience with others.”