Cablefax The Magazine - July 2013 - 12

2013 Top Ops Awards
MSO COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Suddenlink
They say that character emanates from the top. In the case of
Suddenlink's community activities, nothing could be truer.
For the past seven years on the eve of The Cable Show, a
hearty group of cable employees join staff from The Sportsman
Channel to feed the homeless during the net's " Hunt. Fish.
Feed. " initiative. And every year, without fail or fanfare, you'll
ind Suddenlink Chairman/CEO Jerry Kent and his team, doing
what's needed to transform large quantities of meat donated by
area hunters into meals and later serving hundreds at a soup
kitchen. " We invited Suddenlink to join us a few years ago, "
Sportsman head Gavin Harvey said during this year's event in
Washington, D.C., " and they've come back every year. They've
been great. " Although Kent's prowess with a serving spoon is
apparent, we've yet to see him in the kitchen. " There's a reason
they don't let me prepare the food, " he once joked with us.
But Suddenlink's commitment to community activities is far
from a joking matter to Kent or his employees. We've consistently
been impressed with the number and variety of projects
the MSO engages in and the seriousness with which employees
from all parts of the business carry out their tasks. Here are just
a few activities from Suddenlink's Texas systems that impressed
us this year:
Drop by Drop: While employment has been booming in
Midland, Texas, this growth has also brought trafic, overcrowded
schools and strain on the city's scarce water supply, depleted
by years of drought conditions. Water rates have increased,
sometimes quintupling monthly. As a result, in Midland brown is
the new green as lawns and trees have suffered badly.
In 2010, Suddenlink responded with its Drop by Drop (DBD)
water conservation effort. Led by Marketing Manager Cindy
Martin, Director of Operations Dan Kelley, Plant Manager Jr.
Torres and Account Executive Bryan Shores, the program em*
To accommodate Drop by Drop's growth, in 2011 Suddenlink
secured a partnership with Midland College, which included
a grant that allowed the DBD team to distribute a record
number of indoor and outdoor conservation kits (3,800).
* Since 2010, The Suddenlink Open Tony Gibson Memorial
Bass Tournament has raised more than $71,000 for
Hospice of San Angelo.
* Largely due to its work with the
YMCA, Suddenlink was given the Association
of Fundraising Professionals
2012 Outstanding Media Award
at the AFP's National Philanthropy
Day luncheon.
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phasizes year-round conservation awareness via PSAs, water
conservation kits, free seminars and a show for K-6 students.
The effort has grown each year as Suddenlink has added
partners. Its reach in 2012 was truly impressive with nearly
3,000 plays of the PSAs, 64 seminars presented, reaching more
than 5,000 residents, and 4,000 conservation kits distributed,
including during customer interactions with Suddenlink employees.
The latest reports show Midland has reduced water
consumption by nearly one third, or 8 million gallons/day.
Suddenlink Open Tony Gibson Memorial Bass Tournament:
In San Angelo, Texas, Suddenlink combined doing good
with bass ishing, the area's major pastime, and came up with
an event that's become a whopper. Begun in 2009 to beneit
Hospice of San Angelo, the Open raises needed funds and
cements Suddenlink's reputation in the community. Speaking of
whoppers, the winner in the March 2013 pulled in a record 10-lb
bass and pocketed $850 in cash. In fact, several things about
this year's Open were record breakers, including the number of
participants (184) and funds raised ($24,000). In 2013, 44 businesses
or individuals sponsored the event and an additional 22
donated auction and rafle items. The sponsorships funded all
tournament costs, including $10,000 in cash and prizes.
The Amarillo Family YMCA-Suddenlink Corporate Cup
Challenge: Created in 2010, the Corporate Challenge pits
corporations against each other in a four-week series of itness
challenges. After that, corporate teams compete in various
sporting events. While the Amarillo Y is one of the city's largest
non-proits, it lacked a consistent business sponsor until Suddenlink
came along. The 2012 Suddenlink Y Cup drew nearly
1,000 employees representing 20 local companies, a huge
increase vs. 2011. Nine teams of 54 Suddenlink employees,
also put in an estimated 200 volunteer hours. Besides improving
the health of participants, who received free Y passes for 30
days, the event raised a record-setting $30,500, a 23% increase
over 2011 and 48% over 2010. More than that, the Y reported
an increase in membership and a major Amarillo employer is
considering a bulk contract so its employees can get free Y
memberships.
- Seth Arenstein
July 2013
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