cfx_september-2024 - 19

Born With It
Winter Destined to Build Connection
By Cathy Applefeld Olson
If you'd asked Eleanor Winter more than
three decades ago if she thought she'd stay
in one job for 34 years, she surely would've
laughed. But Winter, who retired from
heading NCTA - The Internet & Television
Association's political action committee in
2022-found her groove in a people-first
role where the only constant was change.
" My job was so unusual because it literally
changed every two years when
the House changed, and then your political
plans and political fundraising had to
change with it. And on top of that, with all
the industry consolidation the board would
change quite a bit too. So it always made it
challenging in the best way, " Winter says.
Hired by then-NCTA head Decker Anstrom
in 1988, Winter served under a succession
of the organization's CEOs, transforming
CablePAC into the top telecom industry PAC
amid periods of rapid evolution with grace,
grit and a dash of good humor. Among the
hallmarks of her passion for championing
the business were guiding member companies
to become more active participants in
the political system and mentoring young
women through the WICT Network.
Winter " has always provided sage advice
that helped us navigate the tricky politics
of cable and telecommunications issues
on Capitol Hill, " says current NCTA chief Michael
Powell. " Eleanor's expertise provided
a strategic foundation for the PAC to remain
nimble and industry-forward. She saw tremendous
change and shepherded NCTAPAC
through exponential growth, industry
consolidation, and the challenges of COVID.
I also can't overstate Eleanor's ability to
connect with people. "
That last attribute is something Winter
was practically born with. The daughter of
former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, she
recalls the days when as a young girl she
and her two sisters would hand out cards
in restaurants and ask people to vote for
their father.
" It's a very odd way to grow up, but every
four years until I was in my 20s my father
was on the ballot and held several offices.
This was old-timey politicking, and it's just
the way we were raised, " she says. " By the
CablefaxTopOps.com
September 2024
time I came to Washington I had quite a
bit of experience trying to connect with
people and trying to make people feel
comfortable. There's a lot of matchmaking
involved when you try to match people in
our industry with members of Congress. "
When it came to fundraising, Winter
was in a class by herself, even as the task
became increasingly difficult after the
demise of the Cable Show and later the
growing chasm between political parties.
She credits continued support from the
top down at the NCTA, and is proud that
during her tenure 100 percent of the board
always gave to the PAC.
" That was the first hurdle, and then to
get them a little more involved with their
employees was the second hurdle. And
then of course, many of these CEOs and
their companies had their own political
action committees-but somehow it all
worked, " she says.
" Taking money from people is never easy,
but Eleanor helped us do it with a smile and
a cheeriness that made it painless, " says
Ron Duncan, co-founder/CEO of GCI and
former NCTA board member and Cable PAC
chair. " Because of Eleanor's efforts we were
able to spread the cable/broadband message
throughout the country and find the
support we needed for our initiatives. We
all miss working with her and cheer her on
for this honor with thanks for all she contributed
to the broadband industry. "
Noting the increasingly divisive political
landscape, Winter says one of her biggest
takeaways after decades on the job is timelier
than ever: Be open to other people.
" In my job there were [people] who
thought very differently from me and I
thought, 'I have nothing in common with
them.' But if you're open enough, those are
the people you can learn so much from
because they get you out of your comfort
zone. So just to be open to relationships,
and try to meet them halfway. That sounds
simple, but it's harder and harder to do, particularly
in D.C., " she says.
" Now we're presented with a lot of people
feeling very deeply about a lot of issues
that have nothing to do with their job. It's
very hard to walk that line. It's just a new
game, and it's an ugly game. I am so lucky
to have been on the Hill when members
from both sides of the aisle respected each
other so much and many of them were dear
friends. We somehow have to find our way
back to where people listen to each other,
even if they don't like what they have to say,
listen respectfully and find some common
ground somewhere so we can all move forward
as a country. "
Winter was inducted into the Cable
Television Hall of Fame in 2015
She currently serves on the Board
of the National Coalition for Cancer
Survivorship and the Winter Institute
for Racial Reconciliation.
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