Cablefax The Magazine May 2022 - 47

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GIGABIT CITY
MAKER
John Cinelli
CEO
Metronet
Years at Current Organization: Nearly 20
First Job in the Industry: Kentucky Data Link
Bucket List: White Water Rafting in the Grand Canyon is on my
list and I am excited to cross it off this summer.
It feels like Metronet is everywhere,
and it just about is. Cinelli
has pushed the company into a
growing number of communities
that span Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota,
Ohio, Florida, North Carolina,
Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin and
Missouri. The list of Metronet
Gigabit cities keeps growing, with
the company recently announcing
a $130 million investment for
Colorado Springs, its first community in Colorado. The pace of construction
should only get faster with the financial advantages that come from
Metronet's merger with Vexus Fiber. Cinelli also knows the importance
of top talent, snagging Dave Heimbach from Shentel to serve in the
President and COO role.
Q&A
How will inflation impact the media and broadband space?
It appears that the space has managed to be untouched
by inflation. During a time when people are needing
connectivity the most to work, learn and entertain, the
industries have seen a large uptick in demand and have
been able to stabilize prices. Government programs
have also been introduced to assist consumers with the
connectivity they want and need.
The phrase " digital divide " will go away... once accessibility and
affordability are addressed. Mayors and other city leaders currently are
faced with a wide range of choices for their cities when trying to bridge
the digital divide. Our strategy of building 100% fiber-optic networks
and connecting directly to homes and businesses without the use of
public funds has proven to be a very effective approach. And now the
small towns that Metronet serves are Gigabit Cities and have access to
affordable, ultra-high-speed broadband.
Has the telco rollout of 5G wireless in North America impacted your
business? The 5G rollout has proven to be complimentary to our
business.
What household chore could you win a gold medal in? I believe I could win
a gold medal for dishwashing. I'm very effective and efficient when the
opportunity presents itself. It also provides to moment to focus on
the task at hand and clear my thoughts. ■
NEXT-GEN
FOCUS
Rita Ferro
President, Advertising
Sales
The Walt Disney Co.
Years at Current
Organization: 24
First Job in the Industry: Sales
planner at MTV Latin America
Bucket List: Take an aroundthe-world
trip
Disney is riding high into this upfront
season, and Ferro is perfectly
positioned to bring its brand clients
into the next generation of advertising. Steadfastly committed
to innovation, her approach is to offer advertisers a one-stop
approach to leverage the breadth of Disney's portfolio and reach
audiences across all of its media properties by leveraging data,
advanced advertising solutions and creative expertise. Ferro's
purview is vast, encompassing entertainment, news, sports and
kids content across linear and digital ad-supported streaming businesses-and
she's continually evolving her vision and the way her
team is structured to meet current and future evolutions. New in
the toolbox is a Disney+ ad-supported tier set to launch later this
year domestically, with plans to expand internationally in 2023.
What childhood memento have you kept? I have
photo albums of all of my birthday parties, my
report cards, sports ribbons and medals and
letters and cards from across the years and I love
pulling them out and going through them with my
daughter Tatiana. It's nostalgic and a humbling
Q&A
reminder of how far you've come.
If I had a time machine, I would ... Visit my dad and grandparents
who have passed and just hug them for as long as I could.
Favorite dish that I can also make myself: During the early days of
the pandemic I learned to cook many great Cuban food classics
using the cookbook my dad gave me. I would have to say the best
is Arroz Imperial con Tostones!
Band I'd go see live: Lizzo!! She was amazing at the Global Citizen
concert in Central Park and I cannot wait to see her again live!
Which character are you in " Encanto " ? What an amazing movie. As a
Latina executive at Disney, I was thrilled to see a movie featuring
all of these characters and featuring the rich heritage and
traditions of our culture connecting so broadly with audiences.
I'm not one character, I see a little of myself in all of them, that's
the magic of Disney and our storytelling.
TV show I always recommend not on my networks: " Emily in Paris, "
because it's funny and smart and has great scenes across all of
Paris, which is one of my favorite cities. ■
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