The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released the official results of the 2015 Board of Directors election. Candidates Kari Carlson, Chief Operating Officer of Tower Systems, Inc. in Watertown, S.D. and Winter Park, Fla; Jim Miller, President of EasTex Tower, Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Jim Tracy, Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Telecommunications, Inc. in Burley, Wash. were re-elected and will retain their seats on the NATE Board of Directors.
From bogs to backhaul, newest board member brings a wealth of experience
Candidate Ben Little, Chief Executive Officer of Centerline Solutions, LLC in Golden, Colo. also assumed a seat and will be serving as a new member of the Board of Directors.
Prior to founding Centerline Solutions in 2011, an in-house turnkey provider, Little acquired MC Squared, a well-respected contractor founded in 2005.
NATE Board members elected were: (clockwise) Kari Carlson, Jim Miller, Ben Little and Jim Tracy
Centerline Solutions, according to Little, has approximately 250 employees with 120 of them serving in the field.
Little founded a number of successful businesses over the years from a digital media company that serviced the nation’s airports and other businesses to an enterprise that vetted contractors for homeowners. The company, larger than the popular Angie’s List, was sold to Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp.
Off of a back of a napkin business model, Little proceeded to shape a cranberry company in the 1990s that would eventually become the largest cranberry bog producer in South America, as well as in the U.S. After becoming the world’s largest grower he sold the company to Ocean Spray.
After transitioning from high quality, high yield vines to high tower work, Little is proud of his company’s safety record, “But we can always improve it, even with zero accidents. You never want to rest on your laurels; you can never become complacent,” Little said.
“I’m excited to share a different perspective, not only in the wireless ecosystem, but through other businesses I’ve been involved in in the past,” Little said upon learning that he had been elected to the trade group’s board of directors.
Centerline Solutions is a member of the NATE STAR Initiative program.
Terms to begin at NATE UNITE 2015
The four candidates who emerged victorious in the election will officially begin their two-year terms on Feb. 22, 2015 at the NATE UNITE 2015 Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
“I would like to congratulate the four candidates who attained seats in the recently concluded Board of Directors election,” said Executive Director Todd Schlekeway. “NATE’s Board of Directors contribute countless hours of their time to serve the association and we look forward to continuing to work with the elected candidates to accomplish NATE’s goals in 2015 and beyond.”
The 2015 election featured a slate of 10 candidates from eligible voting member companies vying for four open seats on the NATE Board of Directors. The election marked the second consecutive year the Association has had a double digit number of candidates seeking seats on the Board of Directors. “NATE would like to thank all of the individuals who demonstrated the leadership and initiative to run as candidates in this year’s election,” stated Schlekeway.
Also seeking positions on the board were: Don Benson, owner, Southern Tier Towers, LLC; Russ Chittenden, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Synergy Concepts, Inc.; Palmer L. Greene, Chief Executive Officer, Pexx, Inc.; Rick Jones, President, Sky Jack Communications; Christopher T. Mallon, President, Tower MRL, Inc.; and incumbent Joel D. Hightower, President, Hightower Communications, Inc.
Next year NATE will elect five board members.