--- title: FirstLight Fiber Announces Retirement of CEO; New CEO Appointed description: FirstLight Fiber Announces Retirement of CEO; New CEO Appointed --- - [Contact JSA](https://www.jsa.net/contact/) - [Tech & Telecom News Now](https://www.jsa.net/blog/) [Twitter](https://twitter.com/telecompr) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/JaymieScottoTV) [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/jaymie-scotto-%26-associates) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JaymieScottoandAssociates) [![JSA – Jaymie Scotto & Associates Logo](https://blog.jsa.net/hubfs/JSA_March2019%20Theme/images/jsa-logo-120h.png) ![JSA – Jaymie Scotto & Associates Logo](https://blog.jsa.net/hubfs/JSA_March2019%20Theme/images/jsa-logo-60h.png) ![JSA – Jaymie Scotto & Associates Logo](https://blog.jsa.net/hubfs/JSA_March2019%20Theme/images/jsa-logo-60h.png)](https://www.jsa.net/) - [Company](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Our Core Values](https://www.jsa.net/core-values/) - [Our Team](https://www.jsa.net/team/) - [Our Clients](https://www.jsa.net/clients/) - [Our Story](https://www.jsa.net/our-story/) - [Giving Back](https://www.jsa.net/giving-back/) - [Our News](https://www.jsa.net/jsa-news/) - [Our Partners](https://www.jsa.net/partners/) - [Services](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Public Relations & Content](https://www.jsa.net/public-relations/) - [Digital Marketing](https://www.jsa.net/digital-marketing/) - [Consultation](https://www.jsa.net/pr-marketing-consultation/) - [Website & Design](https://www.jsa.net/website-design-development/) - [Video & WebCasts](https://www.jsa.net/video-marketing-webcasts/) - [Event Planning](https://www.jsa.net/event-planning/) - [Portfolio](https://www.jsa.net/portfolio/) - [Pricing](https://www.jsa.net/pricing/) - [Regions](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [United States](https://www.jsa.net/united-states/) - [Canada](https://www.jsa.net/canada/) - [Europe](https://www.jsa.net/europe/) - [Flexibility](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Small Company Offerings](https://www.jsa.net/small-company/) - [Medium Company Packages](https://www.jsa.net/medium-company/) - [Large Company Partnerships](https://www.jsa.net/large-company/) - [Channels](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Telecom Exchange (TEX)](https://www.jsa.net/tex/) - [CEO Exchange](https://www.jsa.net/ceo-exchange/) - [JSA TV](https://www.jsa.net/jsa-tv/) - [JSA Radio](https://www.jsa.net/jsa-radio/) - [Virtual CEO Roundtables](https://www.jsa.net/virtual-roundtables/) - [Women’s Speaking Initiative](https://www.jsa.net/womens-speaking-initiative/) - [Industry Events](https://www.jsa.net/industry-events) - [Blog](https://www.jsa.net/blog/) - [Company](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Our Core Values](https://www.jsa.net/core-values/) - [Our Team](https://www.jsa.net/team/) - [Our Clients](https://www.jsa.net/clients/) - [Our Story](https://www.jsa.net/our-story/) - [Giving Back](https://www.jsa.net/giving-back/) - [Our News](https://www.jsa.net/jsa-news/) - [Our Partners](https://www.jsa.net/partners/) - [Services](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Public Relations & Content](https://www.jsa.net/public-relations/) - [Digital Marketing](https://www.jsa.net/digital-marketing/) - [Consultation](https://www.jsa.net/pr-marketing-consultation/) - [Website & Design](https://www.jsa.net/website-design-development/) - [Video & WebCasts](https://www.jsa.net/video-marketing-webcasts/) - [Event Planning](https://www.jsa.net/event-planning/) - [Portfolio](https://www.jsa.net/portfolio/) - [Pricing](https://www.jsa.net/pricing/) - [Regions](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [United States](https://www.jsa.net/united-states/) - [Canada](https://www.jsa.net/canada/) - [Europe](https://www.jsa.net/europe/) - [Flexibility](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Small Company Offerings](https://www.jsa.net/small-company/) - [Medium Company Packages](https://www.jsa.net/medium-company/) - [Large Company Partnerships](https://www.jsa.net/large-company/) - [Channels](https://www.jsa.net/#) - [Telecom Exchange (TEX)](https://www.jsa.net/tex/) - [CEO Exchange](https://www.jsa.net/ceo-exchange/) - [JSA TV](https://www.jsa.net/jsa-tv/) - [JSA Radio](https://www.jsa.net/jsa-radio/) - [Virtual CEO Roundtables](https://www.jsa.net/virtual-roundtables/) - [Women’s Speaking Initiative](https://www.jsa.net/womens-speaking-initiative/) - [Industry Events](https://www.jsa.net/industry-events) - [Blog](https://www.jsa.net/blog/) # FirstLight Fiber Announces Retirement of CEO; New CEO Appointed [![](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png "FirstLight_logo_50")](http://www.firstlight.net)More big news for [FirstLight Fiber](http://www.firstlight.net)! Today, the company **(**formerly known as Tech Valley Communications), announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Kurt Van Wagenen as its President and Chief Executive Officer, and that he will also become a member of FirstLight’s Board. After 13 years successfully leading the organization, Kevin O’Connor, co-founder and current CEO, has chosen to retire and will transition to a role of strategic advisor to the Board. These changes are effective immediately. [![New CEO for FirstLight Fiber](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png "Kurt Van Wagenen")](http://www.firstlight.net/about-us/management-team) Mr. Kurt Van Wagenen, New CEO for FirstLight Fiber "We are very pleased to have Kurt leading the team," said Steven F. Kaplan, General Partner at Riverside Partners and Chairman of FirstLight’s Board of Directors. "Kurt was selected after a very rigorous recruitment process. He is an experienced, growth oriented telecom executive with strong leadership skills and an especially relevant track record leading fiber-based companies in the New York and New England regions. Kurt’s mission is to accelerate FirstLight’s growth while emphasizing continued outstanding customer service to our carrier, wholesale and enterprise customers." Mr. Van Wagenen was President and Chief Executive Officer of FiberTower from April of 2008 until November of 2012.  Prior to that, he was the President and CEO of NEON Communications from January of 2007 until NEON was acquired by RCN Corporation. He also served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Globix Corporation. Mr. Van Wagenen began his career at Verizon Communications and its various predecessors, holding positions of increasing responsibility. Mr. Van Wagenen earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst. “I am excited to join FirstLight as it enters its next phase of aggressive growth. Given my local roots and experience operating fiber networks in the Northeast, I am familiar with the market and understand the needs of customers in the region,” said Kurt Van Wagenen. “The Company has a broad fiber footprint, a history of organic and strategic growth, access to capital for continued network expansion and a talented team. My goal is to make FirstLight the preeminent fiber-based provider serving the communications needs of carriers and business customers throughout Upstate New York and Northern New England.” “The Board would like to thank Kevin O’Connor for his many years of success building FirstLight into the solid organization it is today.  He is a strong entrepreneur, and he recognized the benefits of bringing in a leader to manage the day to day operations of the Company, allowing him to transition to a role of strategic advisor with a focus on continued acquisitions for the Company,” said Kaplan. “As a co-founder, long-time leader of the Company and a continuing shareholder, it is gratifying for me to step back and see how far we have come, including the acquisitions of segTEL, which added New Hampshire to our fiber footprint, and  TelJet, which further added Vermont to our fiber footprint,” said Kevin O’Connor. “I have every confidence that Kurt Van Wagenen is the right guy to take FirstLight to the next level.” From all of us here at Jaymie Scotto & Associates, we wish the best of luck to Mr. Van Wagenen in his new role, and Mr. O’Connor in his retirement! To learn more about FirstLight, visit **[www.firstlight.net](http://www.firstlight.net)** or follow the Company on [**Twitter**](https://twitter.com/FirstLightFiber) and [**LinkedIn**](http://www.linkedin.com/company/FirstLight-Fiber). [appointments](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/appointments), [enterprise](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/enterprise), [fiber](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/fiber), [fiber network](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/fiber-network), [Fibertower](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/fibertower), [FirstLight Fiber Board of Directors](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/firstlight-fiber-board-of-directors), [FirstLight Fiber CEO](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/firstlight-fiber-ceo), [Kevin O'Connor retirement](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/kevin-oconnor-retirement), [network provider](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/network-provider), [Kurt Van Wagenen](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/kurt-van-wagenen), [Ethernet](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/ethernet), [former Tech Valley Communications](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/former-tech-valley-communications), [c-level](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/c-level), [CEO retirement](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/ceo-retirement), [hiring news](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/hiring-news), [new CEO appointment](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/new-ceo-appointment), [telecom industry blog](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/telecom-industry-blog-2), [telecom news](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/telecom-news-2), [Telecom](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/telecom), [telecom news blog](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/telecom-news-blog), [Telecommunications](https://blog.jsa.net/blog/tag/telecommunications) #### Share This Article [mailto:?body=https://blog.jsa.net/blog/firstlight-fiber-announces-retirement-of-ceo-new-ceo-appointed/14951](mailto:?body=https://blog.jsa.net/blog/firstlight-fiber-announces-retirement-of-ceo-new-ceo-appointed/14951) TEX Dallas 2019 is taking place on March 13, 2019 at the Aloft Dallas Downtown. [Register Now](https://thetelecomexchange.com/register/dallas/) TEX NYC 2019 is taking place on May 14-15, 2019 at the W Hoboken Hotel. [Register Here](https://thetelecomexchange.com/register/nyc/) TEX Toronto 2019 is taking place on October 3, 2019 at Second Floor Events. [Register Now](https://thetelecomexchange.com/register/toronto/) TEX LA 2019 is taking place on November 11-12, 2019 at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles. [Register Here](https://thetelecomexchange.com/register/la/) Branding opportunities are available for any size marketing budget. Become a Sponsor Online Portal for Decision Makers to Smartly Network with Other Network Infrastructure Executives. [TEX Portal](https://thetelecomexchange.com/tex-portal/) ![jaymie scotto associates](https://blog.jsa.net/hubfs/JSA_March2019%20Theme/images/jsa-logo-2015.png) Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA) is the preeminent agency for Tech and Telecom PR, Marketing and Event Planning. P.O Box 20 Middlebrook, VA 24459 Email: sales@jsa.net Phone: +1.866.695.3629 ### LATEST TELECOM NEWS ### Recent Tweets - As the [#telecom](https://twitter.com/hashtag/telecom?src=hash) industry's expert in all things [#PR](https://twitter.com/hashtag/PR?src=hash) and [#marketing](https://twitter.com/hashtag/marketing?src=hash), earlier this year we created an eBook with our… [twitter.com/i/web/status/1…](https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1173694994097561600) [1 day ago](https://twitter.com/telecompr/statuses/1173694994097561600) - We are just under 2 months out from [#TEX2019](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TEX2019?src=hash) LA! Mark your calendars for November 11-12 and secure your seat now:… [twitter.com/i/web/status/1…](https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1172555329130942464) [4 days ago](https://twitter.com/telecompr/statuses/1172555329130942464) - JSA would like to take a moment to remember the bravery of the first responders in NYC, and mourn the lives lost 18… [twitter.com/i/web/status/1…](https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1171859944955666434) [6 days ago](https://twitter.com/telecompr/statuses/1171859944955666434) © Copyright 2019 Jaymie Scotto & Associates. | [Data Protection Policy](https://www.jsa.net/data-protection-policy/) [Twitter](https://twitter.com/telecompr) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/JaymieScottoTV) [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/jaymie-scotto-%26-associates) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JaymieScottoandAssociates)