New CEO to lead company’s future growth
(Raymondville, TX – May 25, 2022) – The Board of Directors for Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (VTCI) and VTX1 Companies (VTX1) have elected Patrick McDonnell as the company’s next Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2022. This election comes after serving as Chief Operating Officer for the company for approximately the last two years.
McDonnell will succeed outgoing CEO, Dave Osborn, who has been at the helm of the company since 2005. Osborn will serve in the capacity as Special Advisor to the Board of Directors for the remainder of the year to assist with special projects and transitionary responsibilities as he retires from a distinguished 50-year career in telecommunications.
“My expectation is to continue building on the plans Dave set forth to grow VTX1 over the last 17 years” shared McDonnell. “We will continue to be heavily involved in supporting the local communities we serve. Service and broadband speed improvements will continue to be our major focus.”
McDonnell began his role with VTX1 as Chief Operating Officer in the summer of 2020, heading the company’s operational needs at a time when the pandemic heeded an emphasis on broadband connectivity. He successfully helped the company increase installation capability to keep up with the demand for education and work from home necessity. Additionally, in January 2022 he assumed increased responsibility in the role of General Manager for VTX Communications, LLC, a subsidiary of parent company VTCI.
Dolly Villarreal, President of the Board of Directors, shared “Our board of directors is thrilled to introduce a leader of Patrick’s caliber into our community to guide VTCI and VTX1. Patrick possesses the qualifications and expertise to grow our telecommunications companies into a greater, more successful entity. His leadership will continue to create a lasting impact in our service areas.”
About VTX1 Companies
VTX1 Companies was established as a cooperative in 1952 with the purpose of providing telephone service to rural subscribers deemed unfeasible by larger companies. Headquartered in Raymondville, Texas, the company has grown from a small telephone company into the largest independent broadband provider in Texas. VTX1 offers fiber, fixed wireless, and DIA internet services along with analog, VOIP, and hosted phone telephone services. Transport and carrier services are also offered. With service in South Texas and Central Texas, VTX1 Companies’ service area covers approximately 50,348 square miles, an area just larger than the state of Mississippi.