Cablefax The Magazine - August 2021 - 39

OPERATIONS LEADERS
55. LIFELONG LEARNER
Tom Whitaker | VP, Corporate Development | Shentel
Years in Media & Broadband: 19
Education: WV Wesleyan, University of Virginia
My personal superpower is: Deep powder skiiing
Whitaker has taken Shentel's philosophy of continuous improvement
and applied it personally, earning a graduate degree in leadership
from the University of Virginia in the past year. After standing up
Shentel's new FTTH brand Glo Fiber, Whitaker moved into a strategy
role last summer as he prepares to retire from the more than
100-year-old company. With more than 6000 miles of fiber and a
fixed wireless product offering carrier grade wireless internet, he
leaves behind a blueprint for a successful rural telecom as it transitions
to the " New Shentel, " following the sale of its Sprint wireless
network to T-Mobile.
MY PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT OVER
THE PAST 12 MONTHS IS... completing a graduate degree from
the University of Virginia at 59 years old.
WHAT HABIT ARE YOU KEEPING POST-PANDEMIC?
Sleeping late...
HOW DOES THE COUNTRY NARROW THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE? Continue to subsidize capable operators.
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC FOREVER CHANGED
PROGRAMMING? Consumers of content curate what they want to
watch, and ignore the rest.
NUMBER OF TIMES YOU'VE FLOWN IN THE PAST
YEAR? 0
FAVORITE MASK? UVA - Go Hoos.
MY PREDICTION FOR THE
FUTURE OF REGIONAL SPORTS
NETWORKS: Throw in real-time
sports betting and tell me what you think?
WHAT SHOW/MOVIE HASN'T
BEEN REBOOTED THAT YOU
WISH WOULD BE? " Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid "
WHAT SORT OF BROADBAND
WILL THE AVERAGE U.S.
HOUSEHOLD NEED IN FIVE
YEARS? 100/100.
HOW MANY TIKTOK DANCES
HAVE YOU LEARNED? What's Tik Tok?
WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER
STREAMING LOOK LIKE? A shelf in Wal-Mart with Amazon,
Netflix and Disney at eye level.
NEW SLANG WORD OR PHRASE YOU'VE LEARNED?
" Fully Vaxed. "
WHAT'S YOUR COVID VACCINE SLOGAN? " Roll up or shut
up... "
YOUR PERSONAL D&I EPIPHANY? Bias is an immovable
force...
MY COMFORT TV BINGE? " M*A*S*H "
YOUR PANDEMIC THEME SONG? " Ready to Take a Chance
Again " by Barry Manilow.
STATUS OF YOUR SOURDOUGH BREAD STARTER? No
one would be surprised. I am a white bread guy.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
SUMMER? Outdoor concerts without social distancing.
LAST PODCAST LISTENED TO: " How I Built This " ■
56. ADDRESSING THE FUTURE
Marcien Jenckes | President
Comcast Advertising
Years in Media & Broadband: 23
Education: BA, Economics and Political Science, New York University; MBA, University of
Virginia Darden School of Business
My personal superpower is: asking questions
As the world opens back up, Jenckes is assessing the pivots and accelerations of the past 16 months
in consumer behavior and media consumption. Addressable advertising is top of mind for the seasoned
Comcast exec as ad-supported services continue to evolve. Data, targeting, measurement and attribution
have become more important to brands and advertisers, Jenckes recently said at the Future of TV
Advertising Global. With ad-tech innovator FreeWheel in the Comcast family, the company will continue
to mine the opportunities.
WHAT HABIT ARE YOU KEEPING POST-PANDEMIC? Meditation.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER? Seeing old friends! ■
Cablefax: The Magazine
August 2021
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Cablefax The Magazine - August 2021

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