2013: A Year of Growth for FirstLight Fiber

FirstLight Fiber took the industry by storm in 2013, solidifying its position as a key player in the Northeast’s telecom landscape.  From executive appointments and customer wins to product launches and acquisitions to a full rebrand, this year was one of growth and expansion for FirstLight.

We rang in 2013 as Tech Valley Communications and shortly thereafter announced the acquisition of TelJet Longhaul, LLC, making us an operator of one of the largest and most dense fiber networks in Upstate New York, Northern New England and into Canada. The acquisition bestowed upon us more than 190,000 fiber miles and nearly 1,300 lit buildings.

In June, we celebrated the grand opening of our headquarters’ office at 41 State Street in Albany further cementing our commitment to provide local service and support to the customers throughout the greater Albany region and beyond.

FirstLight’s network is not the only expansion the Company has seen in 2013. The depth and experience of the senior leadership team has been enhanced with the Company welcoming many new members to the team, including Kurt Van Wagenen, James Capuano, Patrick Coughlin, Maura Mahoney, and Robert Cochran. Additionally, industry veteran, Bill LaPerch was named to the FirstLight Board of Directors.

Another notable announcement came in early October, as FirstLight’s Kevin O’Connor announced his retirement after successfully leading the organization for 13 years.  As Kevin transitioned into his position on the Board, FirstLight welcomed Kurt Van Wagenen as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Van Wagenen hit the ground running and has announced his goal of making FirstLight the preeminent fiber-based provider serving the communications needs of carriers and business customers throughout Upstate New York and Northern New England.

The biggest news of the year was announced on September 23^rd when the Company unveiled its rebranding to FirstLight Fiber. Adopting the name of our fiber optic network, the rebrand reflects the ongoing geographic expansion of FirstLight, the enhanced set of capabilities and plans for future growth.

This past year has been one of incredible growth for FirstLight. As always, thank you to our customers and partners for your continued support. Here’s to making even bigger “waves” in 2014!