ACREBroadband CEO and leadership

Phil Kennedy has over 32 years experience in the design, development and deployment of communications technologies and network infrastructure. He has over 80 patents/patents pending in communications, geolocation, cloud organization and storage. Mr. Kennedy began his career with IBM Corporation during the period of dramatic growth in computer communications. During his 12 years at IBM, he specialized in local area, wide area and satellite network communications for Fortune 100 organizations throughout the US. In 1993, Mr. Kennedy accepted an opportunity to become a founding executive of McLeodUSA. During his 8-year tenure with McLeodUSA, the company became the largest competitive exchange carrier in the United States. Mr. Kennedy held a variety of positions with McLeodUSA, the last of which was Chief Technologist and VP of Network Design and Architecture. During his tenure, he managed successful FCC bidding projects for PCS and WCS spectrum, led the physical, equipment and management design of over 12,000 miles of interstate fiber networks, over 2,800 miles of metropolitan fiber networks, 87 central offices housing voice and data switches/routers, 650 co-locations and a full wireless PCS mobile phone network and oversaw design, construction and operation of McLeodUSA Advanced Telecommunication Services, one of the first “fiber to the curb” networks in the nation throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a network that is still operational today as ImOn Communications.

Stacey Stewart is a seasoned sales, marketing and operations executive with 25 years of experience primarily in the telecommunications industry. He began career with MCI Communications in 1987 after graduating from Wichita State University with a Finance degree. After ten years with MCI, which included assignments in sales and sales management in the Midwest that included creating one of the largest revenue based branches in the company, he left to become the Strategic Sales Director at McLeodUSA. During his 15 years at McLeodUSA, which was sold to PAETEC in 2009, he served in several capacities including Iowa Sales Director and Vice President of Customer Operations. In this role he provided oversight to service delivery and technical support for the company. In addition he served as Vice President of Strategic Sales and most recently Vice President and General Manger of National Accounts. In this most recent role he managed the organization responsible for the largest accounts in the company including Walgreens, Bank of America, CitiCorp, and Hilton Hotels.

Joe Gerke has over 31 years of experience in the development and deployment of communications technologies and network infrastructure. He has over 40 patents/patents pending in communications, geolocation, cloud organization and storage. Mr. Gerke began his career in 1986 with Arthur Andersen & Company as an Information System Consultant. In 1987, he joined the IBM Corporation. As a New Account/Account Growth Marketing Representative, Mr. Gerke successfully acquired over 100 new accounts and generating over $8 million in revenue. In 1993, Mr. Gerke joined McLeodUSA. At McLeodUSA, he held a variety of roles in Information Systems, Research & Development, Network Services and Network Operations. He played a key role in developing the strategic proposal for the Iowa Communication Network expansion which resulted in a $45 million network build. He was also a key team member that designed, constructed and operated of McLeodUSA ATS, one of the first “fiber to the curb” networks in the nation throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a network that is still operational today as ImOn Communications.