I was born in Lincoln and Jill was born in Imperial. We both attended high school in Imperial and college in Lincoln-Jill at Nebraska Wesleyan and myself at UNL.
Jill and I lived in Kansas City for 5 years, Lincoln 1 year, and KC another 5 years before returning to Imperial, Nebraska in 2002. We returned to Nebraska as I had a non-competes in telecom (Kansas to Atlantic Ocean and south) and manufacturing (KC metro area). We moved to Imperial so that our children could get to really know their grandparents. After purchasing Jill’s parents small grocery store, I expected to start a telecom company in Colorado’s front range.
Fortunately, I learned of some telecom service issues in Nebraska’s panhandle and started the telecom business in Imperial. Our children graduated from high school in Imperial and college at UNL. Jill and I will continue to live in Imperial.
Jill now owns four grocery stores – Imperial and Lincoln, Nebraska and Wray and Holyoke, Colorado. She has remodeled each of the stores and is currently upgrading the technology. Covid has forced many changes including the need for additional operational efficiencies best provided by the technological improvements. Jill is also reviewing solar applications for the stores.
ALLO continues to expand our footprint in Nebraska, Colorado and Arizona. Currently, ALLO has 1,000 employees across 30 communities and will continue to add communities over the next several years. Additionally, we are reviewing ways to provide fiber service in rural areas. While increasing footprint, ALLO is also developing technologies to substantially eliminate the digital divide, improve smart city applications, and impact agricultural solutions.
Other projects include working on water sources for southwest Nebraska and specifically Enders Reservoir, and constructing homes in Imperial to provide some relief of the shortage. We continue to be involved with Bay High and Rabble Mill in Lincoln as well as volunteer for a variety of projects mainly in Imperial.
Our businesses are closely tied to utilities, recurring cash flow, and providing modern services to Tier II and Tier III cities. Solving housing shortages, quality food availability, and availability of world class connectivity for long term success of the communities we serve is our primary goal.
We will continue to expand ALLO while our team is generating high net promoter scores and we can find communities that are underserved.
A couple of fun facts about me? I have played drums in bands since I was 15. And K-8 educated in a country school in Lamar, Nebraska – population 36 – where our family farm is located (5 miles from Colorado).
If I had five minutes to prepare an hourlong lecture, I would talk about how culture is the key to business success as well as Gigabit Societies and the importance of fiber optics.
Interested in learning more about me and my work? I invite you to check out the following links: