2022 Texas Broadband Hero Award goes to community leader with a long track record of public service

Lubbock, Texas (November 22, 2022) – Connected Nation Texas (CN Texas) is honored to present this year’s Texas Broadband Hero Award to Lonnie Hunt, Executive Director of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG). A political subdivision of the state of Texas, DETCOG is a voluntary association of cities, counties, schools, and other special districts in a 12-county region. Hunt was recognized for his many years as a vocal advocate for rural broadband in both his own community and the Deep East Texas Region as a whole.

“The Texas Broadband Hero Award is reserved for someone who demonstrates the passion, commitment, and determination to close the Digital Divide in their community in such a way that it influences and impacts surrounding communities and the region,” said Chris Pedersen, Executive Vice President of Development and Planning for Connected Nation.

This year’s award was presented on November 17 at “The Future of Rural Texas” event, hosted by the Texas Tribune. “Lonnie Hunt exemplifies our core vision that everyone belongs in a Connected Nation, and he is committed to improving lives by bringing innovative solutions to expand the access, adoption, and use of broadband,” said Molly Weiner, Director, Local and Regional Planning for Connected Nation.

"Wow! I'm blown away by this award,” said Hunt. “It's special to me because I truly believe that broadband is a key building block for the future of my region and all rural Texas. It's an honor to be able to work on this issue, and we can't stop until every single household in Texas has access to affordable and reliable broadband."

CN Texas congratulates Hunt for the well-deserved Texas Broadband Hero Award!

To learn more about Connected Nation’s ongoing broadband work in Texas, visit: https://connectednation.org/texas.