Client News
Smithville joins AT&T, Calix, Comcast, Verizon, Corning, and other national companies for the Top 100 honor; Smithville was selected in part for introducing “innovative technologies with game-changing potential”
ELLETTSVILLE, Indiana – Recognized for its innovation and focus on partnerships, Smithville Communications, Inc. has again been named a national Top 100 U.S. broadband technology industry leader by Broadband Communities magazine. Smithville’s innovative work in expanding its middle-mile fiber network, building a 100 Gbps core network node in rural Dubois County, Indiana, for enterprise-level capacity, and joint project with a local REMC helped secure the recognition.
TERRE HAUTE, Indiana – Completing an intense process, including an extensive search involving more than 50 candidates, the Board of Directors of the Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA) has selected and named Cara A. Veale as the association’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Veale, currently the vice president of provider services at Daviess Community Hospital in Washington, Indiana, “hit all of the marks we were looking for in a new executive leader,” said Mark Vonderheit, IRHA Board President. “We wanted a collaborative, knowledgeable and experienced leader who could effectively build on the positive foundation that current CEO Don Kelso has laid over the past decade, and we believe we have found that in Cara.”
The Board President added that Veale, who holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy and a doctorate in health sciences from the University of Indianapolis, has deep experience in directly working for rural hospitals. “We were looking for a leader who could work with all partners and levels of rural health professionals in Indiana, and Cara’s career reflects that,” he continued.
“This represents a tremendous opportunity and I’m excited for this new role of service,” Veale said. “A great team is already in place at IRHA and I look forward to working with Don as I transition into the position.”
WASHINGTON (Indiana) – Is your small business impacted by the COVID-19 situation? The new Daviess County Small Business Relief Program is now taking applications through June 12, according to Bryant Niehoff, executive director of the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC). Qualified grant recipients do not have to pay back the grant if conditions are met.
“This new grant can make available up to $5,000 per small business in Daviess County, but small business owners need to act quickly to complete the application and supporting forms,” said Niehoff. “Assistance is available if those applying for the grant have questions.”
ELLETTSVILLE and MARTINSVILLE (Indiana) – Initial construction began May 27 for a unique fiber project to eventually serve 3,400 rural residents and businesses in Monroe and Owen Counties and help close the rural digital divide.
Smithville Communications, a top 100 national broadband company, and SCI REMC, Indiana’s largest rural electric cooperative, began physical construction of fiber service to 350 residents and businesses located in a rural area between Spencer and Gosport. Customers in this first area are expected to have services turned up before the end of the year.
The first phase of this joint fiber project, which has attracted national industry attention, is part of a unique partnership expected to accelerate the delivery of high-speed fiber broadband internet to residents and businesses in the common service areas between the two companies.
FRENCH LICK (Indiana) —As part of its continuing focus to serve people impacted by the COVID-19 crisis (particularly in rural areas), Ellettsville-based Smithville Communications, Inc. has opened a free WiFi hotspot at Springs Valley Community School in French Lick, Indiana, located at 498 S Larry Bird Boulevard. Hotspots can be used by individuals that need to connect to networks for work, school, or telehealth reasons.
“We must continue to all do our part to help our neighbors in this time of need,” said Darby McCarty, chairman and CEO of Smithville. “We believe that Smithville has an obligation to keep our customers, businesses, and fellow Hoosiers connected, and we take it very seriously. Our team is working every day, ensuring Smithville’s network is up and running to keep our customers connected to what matters most.”
The new hotspot is expected to help area students of the Springs Valley Community Schools who are involved in e-learning activities while the school systems physical facilities are closed.
“We are grateful for Smithville’s donation of accessible internet services, as it helps families and students who need high-speed internet,” said Zach Brown, executive director of the Orange County Economic Development Partnership. “This access is a useful bridge to help our area residents get through these challenging times.”
TERRE HAUTE, Indiana – With new regulatory standards now in place, an urgent need for telehealth and telemedicine applications has exploded during the recent COVID-19 crisis, leading healthcare providers to search for secure online solutions. Physicians, clinics and other providers who need HIPAA-certified telehealth capacity can now utilize a cost-effective platform available through the Indiana Rural Health Association’s WhiteBark division.
Relieving financial stress
“The financial stress on our rural hospitals has never been greater,” said Don Kelso, Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA). “New reimbursement options and expanded telehealth consult capacity gives physicians and clinics fresh options to deal with dramatically expanded costs and declining revenues.”
The cost and training for new telehealth technology can impede its adoption, so IRHA made arrangements to offer a cost-effective and versatile technology that can be easily adopted, the CEO added.
“The separation and safety requirements of the current Coronavirus crisis have led to greatly increased demand for secure telehealth services, but physicians and providers may face a challenge in finding a cost-effective and secure service that can meet their needs during this intensely unusual time,” said Deena Dodd, Director of Government Relations for the Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA). “Follow-up telemedicine consults and wellness visits can also be effectively conducted through the IRHA/WhiteBark platform, effectively satisfying social distancing safety concerns during the COVID-19 crisis.”
INDIANAPOLIS – Research-ready, super-high-speed data management resources are now available for epidemiologists, pathologists, biologists and other scientific professionals in synthetic chemistry labo
ratories. The cloud-based Series JL5000 Ancelus SaaS data management system can be immediately deployed for professionals engaged in automating combinatorial chemistry efforts.
Synthetic laboratories, epidemiologists and biotech companies conducting combinatorial chemistry for COVID19 research can leverage high-speed Ancelus SaaS-driven automated methods for reaction design, information management, chemical synthesis, compound analysis, and biological testing. Software available for free 90-day trial to qualified companies or institutions to advance no-risk integration.
The high-speed Ancelus software, capable of processing multiple billions of data records in nanoseconds, has the capacity to potentially support the discovery of relevant compounds, and eventually a novel vaccine or pharmaceutical treatment to aid in the COVID19 crisis through a combinatorial process.
In the interest of saving lives and slowing the economic onslaught engulfing the world, the Ancelus SaaS software will be made available free through a 90-day trial plan to qualified synthetic chemistry laboratories, biotech research companies and other related scientific entities, according to John Morris, chief operating officer of Time Compression Strategies, the developer of AncelusDB and the new cloud-based Series JL5000 Ancelus SaaS software.
The 90-day period will allow companies to integrate and begin using the high-speed, high-capacity data software with little-to-no risk exposure and potentially advance existing combinatorial research in rapid fashion.
INDIANAPOLIS – Plans for Cybertech Midwest, the region’s largest cyber event, are “moving full speed ahead” with new experts being added, initial plans for an onsite cyber range, an escape room activity to promote cybersecurity awareness at all levels, and a new pitch competition for venture capital, and other new elements for the July event.
Midwest’s largest cyber event set to expand at Indiana Convention Center, July 14-15; organizers following guidance from WHO and CDC to ensure participant safety from any coronavirus issues. Organizers will keep participants updated as the COVID-19 situation unfolds.
“In addition to Cybertech’s all-star lineup of cybersecurity experts and industry practitioners, we’re now looking forward to the pitch competition held in partnership with StartUp World Cup for the first time,” said Michael Snyder of MEK, a representative for Cybertech Midwest. “This competition is open to all technology firms, and not just those associated with the cybersecurity space – the Cybertech Midwest winner will qualify to go on to the Grand Finale 2020 round and compete for a $1 million grand prize.”