Great Plains Communications Business Blog

Kim Ptacnik | Vice President of Human Resources

Kim Ptacnik is the Vice President of Human Resources (HR). Over the years she has served in roles ranging from HR assistant to supervisor to senior director, playing a key role in developing and inspiring the culture of high-performance that is the backbone of Great Plains Communications. A vital member of our executive leadership team, Ptacnik joined Great Plains Communications after graduating from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 1985.

Ken Pfister | Vice President of Strategic Policy

Ken Pfister is Vice President of Strategic Policy for Great Plains Communications. He is responsible for the company strategy and policies as they relate to inter-carrier compensation, interconnection, universal service and other regulatory issues. Pfister has been with GPC since 2000, has over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and keeps the importance of leadership in corporate governance in the forefront of his endeavors.

Tony Thakur | Chief Technology Officer

Tony Thakur is the Chief Technology Officer of Great Plains Communications, where he guides the company’s technology vision and works to enhance its robust fiber network. He also implements new product technologies, identifies national geographic network expansion opportunities and introduces automation efficiencies. Thakur has held C-level and senior executive positions during his two decades in the telecommunications sector. In this time, he has launched numerous programs and services related to technology infrastructure development, networking and cloud connectivity. Thakur graduated with a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology and has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas in Arlington.

Josephine Bernson | Chief Revenue Officer

Josephine Bernson is the Chief Revenue Officer for Great Plains Communications. She is responsible for driving revenue generation efforts and identifying new market and growth opportunities across consumer, enterprise, channel partner, and carrier divisions of the company. In addition, Ms. Bernson leads and develops the sales and marketing teams and provides strategic corporate thought, leadership, and critical input into product development and customer experience strategies.

Bernson has nearly two decades of experience producing high-revenue growth for telecommunications and media companies, ranging from startup to global Fortune 500 entities.

Janelle Allison | Chief Operating Officer

Janelle Allison joined Great Plains Communications in 2005 and serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer on the executive leadership team. She is a certified public accountant with over 30 years of experience in accounting and finance. Allison has spent more than 15 years in the telecommunications industry, gaining expertise in areas of software, telemarketing, underground utility locating and state one-call notifications systems, as well as telephone, cable TV and internet communications.

Todd Foje | Chief Executive Officer

Todd Foje is Chief Executive Officer of Great Plains Communications LLC and Great Plains Underground Construction LLC. In this role, he provides thought leadership and guides the company by defining and implementing growth and business strategies. Foje has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and became CEO in 2008. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Creighton University and a Master of Laws in Taxation (LLM) from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctor (JD) from George Washington University. With prior experience as both a certified public accountant and an attorney, Foje also has held executive roles in other industries prior to joining Great Plains Communications.

Mark Kerns, Vice President of Accounting and Finance

Mark Kerns is the Vice President of Accounting and Finance. In this executive leadership team position, he directs the company’s financial management and growth strategy while also overseeing all aspects of the accounting operations. Formerly with Lutz and Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Coopers & Lybrand, Kerns joined Great Plains Communications as a Senior Accounting Manager in 2012. He graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting.