Broadband and Optical Industry Movers and Leaders: Datadobi Selects Natali as Americas Sales Manager; DxTEL Bolsters Leadership Team with Broadband Industry Veterans

Datadobi Names Denise Natali Vice President of Sales, Americas
Datadobi, a provider of hybrid cloud data services, has named Denise Natali as Vice President of Sales, Americas, a role created specifically for her. Reporting directly to Chief Business Development Officer and Co-Founder Michael Jack, Natali will be responsible for developing and executing revenue growth strategies, leading Datadobi’s high-performing sales team, and ensuring Datadobi’s customers remain the happiest in the industry. Natali brings extensive experience in organizational transformation and expansion, as well as cybersecurity, digital modernization, and cloud solutions. Her previous roles at Cox Communications, Lumen Technologies, FastPay, and her military service as a U.S. Army Military Intelligence Officer make her an excellent candidate for the position. She is also an award-winning cartoonist and published author.

DxTEL Strengthens Leadership Team with Broadband Industry Veterans
DxTEL, a broadband marketing software and services company, has added Brian Snider and John Sullivan to its leadership team. Snider, founder and former CEO of Lit Communities, brings a wealth of experience and will serve as Chief Strategy Officer. Sullivan, former CIO of Lit Communities, will serve as Chief Revenue Officer, drawing on his extensive revenue generation experience. More than 200 vendors, from rural cooperatives and urban networks to family-owned and venture-backed startups, rely on DxTEL platforms or consulting services.

Midwest Energy & Communications Names Rubenthaler New CEO
Midwest Energy & Communications (MEC) recently selected Terry Rubenthaler as its next president and CEO. Rubenthaler, MEC’s chief operating officer, will assume the position Oct. 1. He replaces Robert Hance, who will retire in September. MEC’s board made the appointment in mid-June after working with EnerVision, a consulting firm for power utilities, to recruit and select candidates. Rubenthaler is a registered professional engineer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Nebraska in 1990 and joined MEC in 1995.

Rubenthaler is no stranger to MEC, having led the deployment of fiber optics into MEC’s electrical grid to improve infrastructure monitoring and disaster recovery, and the construction of MEC’s fiber-based retail internet service. He also played a key role in securing funding for MEC’s fiber expansion, including $37 million from the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Finally, in 2023, he led MEC’s partnership with approximately 40 municipalities and three Michigan counties on a Michigan grant to help fund a $56 million broadband project. Rubenthaler currently lives in Niles, Michigan, with his wife, Gina. They have three children and three grandchildren.

Start Campus Appoints Rodrigues, Dunn to Top Executive Positions
Start Campus, a company focused on designing, building and operating the next generation of sustainable data centers, has immediately appointed Robert Dunn as CEO. Dunn, who has served as interim CEO since November 2023, will continue to lead the company in the development of SINES DC, a 495-megawatt data center campus in Portugal. Dunn joined Start Campus in 2022 and has more than 15 years of experience in various leadership roles in the data center industry, including managing data center builds across Europe for leading data center developers. Start Campus has also appointed Luis Rodrigues as Chief Operating Officer. Rodrigues, who joined Start Campus in 2021 as Head of Data Center Operations, has more than 15 years of experience in operational leadership and management for data center operators and developers.

Surf Internet’s McCauley Set to Be Appointed to Indiana 811 Board
Patrick McCauley, Senior Director of OSP Construction for Surf Internet, has been appointed to the Indiana 811 Board of Directors. Indiana 811, which leads the statewide “Call Before You Dig” initiative, ensures the safety of excavation projects. Before any underground excavation work begins, individuals or contractors are required to contact Indiana 811. This critical step helps prevent accidental damage to utility lines such as gas, electric or telecommunications lines. As a newly appointed member of the Indiana 811 Board of Directors, McCauley brings a wealth of experience and expertise in infrastructure management. His role includes active participation on various committees focused on damage prevention, legislative issues and overall infrastructure safety improvements.