Clarksville, TN – Charles Dickens wrote, “It was the best of times…it was the age of wisdom…it was the epoch of belief…it was the season of Light…it was the spring of hope…”
It is with great adoration and sadness, CDE Lightband said farewell to Chairman Wayne Wilkinson at the Power Board Meeting Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020.
![(L to R) CDE Lightband General Manager, Brian Taylor and former Power Board Chairman, Wayne Wilkinson. (L to R) CDE Lightband General Manager, Brian Taylor and former Power Board Chairman, Wayne Wilkinson.](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CDE-Lightband-General-Manager-Brian-Taylor-and-former-Power-Board-Chairman-Wayne-Wilkinson-480x320.jpg)
In honor of Wilkinson’s departure, CDE Lightband dedicated their boardroom for his fifteen years of outstanding leadership, community commitment and as a respected advocate for the company.
During his tenure, Wilkinson served as Power Board Chairman from 2008-2009 and 2011-2020. As a first-class leader, he was a visionary, never stopping in his endeavors to push CDE Lightband into the future. He constantly researched, gathering knowledge regarding current trends in the electric field. Wilkinson vested himself into the company and had a heart for its employees. He was a Public Power advocate, political voice and a leader in the community.
“Wayne has led the Power Board with integrity and has made a positive impact on CDE Lightband, our employees and our community,” said Brian Taylor, general manager of CDE Lightband. “We are a better company, and Clarksville has blossomed because of Wayne’s influence. His presence on the board will be missed.”
With his focus on system reliability, he oversaw the construction of three new substations and the rebuilding of three more. Wilkinson helped guide the evolution of the Broadband Division into one of the most successful municipal systems in the region. He saw the system garner nationwide recognition for service and helped to foster its growth by over 20,000 customers.
He also saw its journey from an income deficit, to operating with positive cash flow to eliminating all loans.
Wilkinson has been a beacon and guiding light during his years at CDE Lightband. He will truly be missed.
About CDE Lightband
CDE Lightband is a municipally-owned public power and broadband service provider serving 72,000 electric and 22,000 broadband customers with the city limits of Clarksville, TN.
CDE Lightband provides reliable utilities delivered at the speed of light. Our service area, consisting of 100 square miles within the municipal boundaries, includes 892 miles of power lines and 960 miles of fiber optic cable.
Our world-class Fiber Optic Network keeps electric costs low and allows us to deliver exceptional products and constant innovation. The network provides savings of over $1 million annually in operating costs and provides over $5 million annually in income for electrical grid improvements that result in half as many large scale power outages compared to peer cities.
Additionally, access to our network increases home values by 3% or an average of over $5,000, according to the Fiber to the Home Council. Based in large part on access to the superior digital products provided by CDE Lightband, Clarksville has been designated a first 50 “Next Century City.”
CDE Lightband offers Electricity, Internet, Digital TV and Telephone services with blazing fast speed and superior performance … with the additional convenience of 24/7 local support and bundling all your utilities into a single bill.
Our staff includes 200 full-time employees, a management team with over 100 years of combined industry expertise and governance provided by a board of five local business leaders.
For more information, visit their website at www.cdelightband.com