Cablefax The Magazine - July 2011 - 31

INDEPENDENT STRATEGIC THINKER
OF THE YEAR
Gary Shorman
Eagle Communications
First, an explanation. Eagle CEO Gary Shorman was
honored with the Competition Award last year as an MSO.
This year, he's receiving kudos as an indie. The awards
were judged by separate panels. Independently they chose
Shorman, whose Hays, KS-based company is a member of
NCTA and ACA. As cable's resident head hunter Ann Carlsen,
says, " Gary is one of those rare individuals who has the
whole package. He's a breath of fresh air, is self-effacing yet
so smart and strategic. "
Shorman is appreciative. Yet these honors stem from success
in competing against and outthinking some who are
receiving what he considers unjust federal subsidies. That's a
battle he'd just as soon avoid.
Serving some 18K cable customers in 33 communities
and 15K digital phone/Internet customers, mainly in Kansas
and Colorado, Eagle competes against DBS, but it's
EAGLE'S NEST: Shorman, center, insisted on sharing credit with
his colleagues. From lower left to right: Rex Skiles, General Manager;
Sara Meder, Director of Operations; Shorman; Kurt David,
VP/COO; and Travis Kohlrus, Director of Marketing.
also hounded by government-subsidized competitors. One
received a loan/grant of some $100mln from Uncle Sam.
" I'm all for [government subsidies to assist people] who don't
have broadband, " he says. " But when the government uses
dollars to reach people who already have multiple options,
then that becomes the wrong way to spend our dollars... the
government has wasted a ton of money to do this. "
But this year's honor also pays tribute to Shorman and
Eagle's efforts against non-government-subsidized competitors.
With the world of competition changing dramatically,
" it takes a very effi cient, quick-thinking group of people to
make things happen, " he says. Shorman feels that group
is the nearly 300 employee of Eagle, the vast majority of
whom also are its owners.
" They have a vested interest in the company. They own
65% of [Eagle]... So when I see Eagle trucks going out on
Memorial Day to fi x a problem, it's like an owner of the company
trying to take care of that customer. "
" We live with our customers, " Shorman adds. " When
there's a problem it doesn't just go to our CSRs. It goes to
my offi ce or I get a call at home. " Indeed, a call to Eagle's
executive offi ces routed us easily to Shorman's desk. He
answered the phone himself.
With Hays home to Fort Hays State University, Eagle's
customers have a technological sophistication. They ask for
streaming products they've seen online, for example. Absent
the " 50 guys in the back developing new products " that
larger operators might have, the Eagle team works " diligently "
with tech partners to enhance its headend. " We have to
fi gure out a way to [meet the tech demand] from our customers.
If not, it's too easy to go to a DISH or other places in our
competitive environment, " he says.
Shorman's also answered his customers' demand for local
FAST FACTS
coverage. One of the results is Eagle Community Television,
which carries high school sports and streamed the state
baseball tournament to Eagle's web site. Shorman himself
hosts a weekly program.
Yet as befi ts our strategic thinker
■ Shorman testified on Capitol Hill earlier this year, decrying federal subsidies to a
competitor that plans to overbuild areas already served by Eagle and other providers.
■ Eagle has invested its capital to connect communities around two headends, one in
Hays and the other in Abilene, KS.
CableFAX: The Magazine
July 2011
honoree, Shorman is local and global,
traveling to DC to rail against federal
subsidies. " 10 or 20 years ago you
could stay in your own community. It's
a fl atter world now... small or large
operator, you have to be where the
decisions are happening. " He is. ■
- Seth Arenstein
cablefaxmag.com
31
http://www.cablefaxmag.com
Cablefax The Magazine - July 2011

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