Signal Summer 2017 Newsletter

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extending their services over bodies of water. Jim and other
Alliance technicians developed a plan to remove the lines from
the bridge and span them over the water on poles. Then once
the new bridge was constructed, crews secured the lines back
on the bridge.
“The goal with these types of projects is to keep services going
with minimal to no disruption,” Jim said. “There have been
some sleepless nights where all you can think about is ‘How
are we going to do this?’”
His most memorable projects involved substantial service
conversions. The first major upgrade Jim worked on was the
transition from analog to digital phone service in the late
1970s. Then decades later the conversion from copper to fiber
optics heavily involved Jim’s construction crew because all
copper cables were replaced with new fiber-optic lines. This
transition was arduous because Alliance still needed to main-
tain the copper plant while building a new fiber-optic network,
he said.
“We are going to miss Jim’s dedication and knowledge of the
industry,” said Technician and Operations Supervisor Jeff
Hove. “After 40 years, Jim knew the construction side of the
business better than anyone in the company, and that’s going to
be hard to replace.”
More Time for Family, Fishing, and Other Fun
Jim’s retirement plans include reading, fishing, visiting national
parks and spending more time with his wife, Vonnie, and his
children, Sarah and Andrew. He hopes to travel abroad more;
however, his definition of abroad is a little different from what
one might assume.
“When I say abroad, I mean out of state, not out of the coun-
try. I have plans to visit southern Utah and Phoenix. Maybe I’ll
get to Hawaii, but I’ve got to visit California first,” Jim said in
his trademark jovial style.
Jim took great pride in being part of the Alliance team, and he
had the ability to make anyone smile, Jeff said.
“We’re going to miss his sense of humor. He’s one of the few
people I know who can stop in any town and someone will
recognize him,” Jeff said. “He is definitely one of a kind and
will be greatly missed.”
Basically, my job the whole time
was getting service to people,
and that’s what I’ve liked about it.”
— JIM HANSON, CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR
After 40 years, Jim knew the
construction side of the business
better than anyone in the company, and
that’s going to be hard to replace.”
— JEFF HOVE, TECHNICIAN AND OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR
Jimmarks underground lines at a home prior to burying new fiber-optic lines.