The Tower Family Foundation recently expanded the non-profit organization’s scholarship program, which includes enhanced eligibility criteria and a new application form that supports more students on a merit basis. The application deadline to apply for scholarships for the fall 2024 semester has been extended to May 1, 2024. The Tower Family Foundation is opening the program to the broader NATE …
New Board members will help shape the future for the Tower Family Foundation’s worker support initiatives
“As an Executive Committee, we are excited to add the visionary leadership and philanthropic spirit of Ron, Eric, Jake, and Michael to the Tower Family Foundation’s Board of Directors,” said President Jim Tracy. The Tower Family Foundation announced the newest appointments to the non-profit organization’s leadership team. Ron Bizick, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vertical Bridge; Eric Dudek, …
Tower Family Foundation expands scholarship program to assist eligible students with education expenses
The Tower Family Foundation announced today the official expansion of the non-profit organization’s scholarship program, which includes enhanced eligibility criteria and a new application form that supports more students on a merit basis. The Tower Family Foundation is opening the program to the broader NATE community by offering a limited number of merit-based scholarships that will be available annually to …
Thanks for an industry that exemplifies the spirit of giving
Climbing towards two decades, Wireless Estimator has been privileged to reach your computer screen or smartphone daily, providing information and advocacy to an industry we proudly serve. For that, we are thankful. More importantly, we are thankful for those men and women who don’t look for thanks – our country’s volunteers, the spirited folks who genuinely make this industry great. Unfortunately, recognizing everyone …
Ohio tower technician succumbs from injuries following a 250-foot fall during an AT&T installation
Services have been announced for Darren Bishop, 28, of Proctorville, OH, who passed away on Monday, September 25, 2023, after falling approximately 250 feet off a 300-foot guyed tower in Huntsburg Township, OH. According to individuals knowledgeable of the incident, Bishop, employed by Overland Contracting, had been working on an AT&T overlay project managed by Black & Veatch when he …
Rescued tower tech is showing some improvement but needs the industry’s prayers and financial support
Jared Farley, a 31-year-old Plantersville, TX tower technician, remains in critical condition after he became unconscious following a heat stroke last Thursday while working on a 300-foot guyed tower in Navasota, TX, in 98 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures that remained in the mid-90s during a three-hour rescue by emergency responders. Farley’s mother, Tracy Phifer, who traveled with her husband from Tennessee …
Hybrid cable is severed from its rigging, causing the death of a Fort Worth tower technician
Clarification: An earlier version of this article said that a hybrid cable being raised fell on a technician causing, fatal injuries. According to the technician’s employer, the cable had been secured to the tower with a cable manufacturer-installed hoisting grip that failed. An update is available here. A 32-year-old Fort Worth, TX tower tech died on December 15, 2022, when …
The First Lady of tower tech compassion will sunset the Hubble Foundation next month
After assisting families of tower technicians who have passed away or were seriously injured over the past ten years, the Hubble Foundation’s Board of Directors regretfully announced that the non-profit Foundation would cease operation on December 30, 2022, the Foundation’s President, Dr. Bridgette (Gette) Hester, informed Wireless Estimator. Hester said that the organization’s inability to maintain dedicated volunteers to assist …
Tower Family Foundation and Warriors4Wireless are benefactors of $2 million from T-Mobile’s golf tourney
T-Mobile recently announced a jaw-dropping $2 million distribution to be shared equally by the Tower Family Foundation (TFF) and Warriors4Wireless (W4W) following the 9th Annual T-Mobile Golf Tournament. With more than 50 corporate sponsors supporting the 2022 event (listed below), the two industry non-profit benefactor organizations have now received more than $5.2 million from the annual fundraiser. “The tournament has …
Alabama tower collapse ends a tower tech’s life, leaving behind his wife and five children
A 36-year-old tower technician and father of five who worked for the Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) died Wednesday afternoon in a “tragic accident,” the agency said yesterday. Communications technician Brett Savage with the AFC and a resident of Deatsville, in Elmore County, was killed instantly when the communications tower he was helping a crew remove collapsed in Washington County, the …
Simpson, Blakeslee and Hillabrant appointed to Tower Family Foundation leadership positions
The Tower Family Foundation announced today a series of appointments to the non-profit organization’s leadership team. Mike Simpson, Chief Procurement Officer of T-Mobile USA Inc, has been seated to serve on the Tower Family Foundation Board of Directors. Additionally, Kenny Blakeslee CEO of Apex Site Solutions and Christian Hillabrant, COO of Tillman Infrastructure, have been appointed to the Tower Family …
Vertical Bridge’s execs donate over $1.1 million to the Tower Family Foundation and Warriors4Wireless
Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC , the largest privately owned and operated communications infrastructure company in the United States, announced that its executive team has donated over $1.1 million from their personal funds to Warriors4Wireless and the Tower Family Foundation. The donations were made in support of the work that these non-profit organizations do to help veterans enter the telecommunications industry and to support the …
Monica Vink to head Legacy Telecommunications’ marketing efforts to increase its brand strength
Legacy Telecommunications, based out of Gig Harbor, WA, has announced the growth of their team with the addition of Monica Vink as Marketing Director. Vink’s role will focus on strategic goals and objectives related to marketing, branding, digital footprint, and social influence. She has over 10 years of experience in wireless infrastructure and has held various positions supporting the broadband and …
Veterans and tower techs will benefit from $3.2 million raised by T-Mobile and wireless industry companies
T-Mobile recently announced a staggering $1.4 million distribution to be shared equally by the Tower Family Foundation (TFF) and Warriors4Wireless (W4W) following the 8th Annual T-Mobile Golf Tournament. With 47 corporate sponsors supporting the event, the two benefactor organizations have now received more than $3.2 million from the annual fundraiser. “The T-Mobile Tournament achieves at least two results each year,” …
Bud Noel and Patrick Murphy appointed to Tower Family Foundation’s Board of Directors
Bud Noel, Senior Vice President of Operations for the U.S. Tower Division of American Tower in Boston, Massachusetts, and Patrick Murphy, Founder and CEO of Murphy Tower Service, LLC in Carlisle, Iowa, have been appointed to serve on the Tower Family Foundation’s Board of Directors. Noel and Murphy join the Tower Family Foundation Board comprised of industry veterans devoted to …
You’ll love big brother watching you during the Las Vegas Tower Family Foundation charity golf event
You can get an early start to your 2022 golf season by hitting the links and participating in the Tower Family Foundation Golf Event, Powered by NATE’s Wireless industry Network (WIN). And if you’re fortunate enough to hit a hole in one, there’s a good chance it will be recorded. This exciting and fun event will take place on Thursday, …
Industry luminaries to be inducted into Wireless Hall of Fame
The Wireless History Foundation (WHF) will induct four honorees into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame during the Foundation’s Hall of Fame Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. on November 11th. This year’s inductees are: James Tracy: CEO of Legacy Telecommunications. Jim has been a leading force in tower and infrastructure construction, service and maintenance for decades. In addition to his …
Tower Family Foundation touts a successful launch of its 2021 fundraising campaign to aid industry workers
Companies and individuals have welcomed the opportunity to offer support to the Foundation that assists industry workers and their families in their time of need The Tower Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, today announced the 2021, first quarter donors and pledges. Thanks to the philanthropic contributions received from industry stakeholders, over $263,000 was raised in Quarter 1. The Foundation’s Endowment Committee, …
Illinois student is recipient of Ernie Jones Memorial Civil Engineering Scholarship
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and Tower Family Foundation today jointly announced that Alex Dodson, a junior civil engineering student from Jasper, Indiana has been named as the 2021 recipient of the Ernie Jones Memorial Civil Engineering Scholarship at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. Alex Dodson is at the top of her class academically and excels in …
Tracy, Drouin, Lekutis to lead Tower Family Foundation as it aids wireless workers, their families
The Tower Family Foundation announced today that Board of Directors’ members Jim Tracy, Victor Drouin and Craig Lekutis were appointed by their peers to serve on the non-profit organization’s Executive Committee for the 2021-2022 term. Jim Tracy, Founder and CEO of the Legacy Family of Companies in Gig Harbor, Washington, was appointed to serve as the President of the Board …
