Executive Leadership Team

Executive Leadership Team

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Todd Foje

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Todd Foje is Chief Executive Officer of Great Plains Communications LLC (GPC) 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 GPC.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Janelle Allison

CHIEF SERVICE DELIVERY OFFICER

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Janelle Allison joined Great Plains Communications in 2005 and currently serves as the Chief Service Delivery Officer. She oversees several areas of the business including the GPC Customer Response Center, field operations, project management, and legal. She is responsible for managing GPC’s service delivery to ensure the development of strategic plans aligns with accountability of performance and adheres to corporate values.

Allison is also responsible for attainment of operational, strategic and financial goals. She is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of accounting and finance experience.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Tony Thakur

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

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Tony Thakur is the Chief Technology Officer of GPC, 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.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Nicholas Wilkin

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

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Nicholas Wilkin is the Chief Financial Officer of GPC. He is responsible for overseeing the company’s financial performance, budgets and forecasts. Wilkin has over two decades of financial experience managing successful exits and acquisitions, raising capital and leading and implementing operational and financial strategies.

He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and graduated Magna Cum Laude, Jacob Albright Scholar from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Economics.

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Katie Curtis

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

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Katie Curtis serves as the company’s Chief Information Officer. She is responsible for strategic planning for technology, infrastructure, information system assets, data management and enterprise security.

Curtis has over a decade of experience in Information Technology leadership roles including enterprise IT roadmaps, increasing productivity through automation, and translating customer needs into new technology products and services.

Katie received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado and her ITIL V3 certification from the Help Desk Institute.

Joe Pellegrini 250

Joe Pellegrini

PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

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Joe Pellegrini is the President and Chief Operating Officer. Joe leads the day to day operations of the company focusing on optimizing efficiencies, mitigating risks, enhancing the overall customer experience and the successful execution of deliverables. In addition, he leads teams to meet goals aligning with the company’s strategic vision.

Pellegrini has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the Telecommunications Industry in the areas of operations, wireless deployment, construction management, GIS mapping, vendor relations, service delivery, digital transformation and customer experience.

sikora

Chris Sikora

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

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Chris Sikora is the Chief Revenue Officer for GPC. He is responsible for driving new revenue across enterprise, residential, multi-dwelling unit (MDU), wholesale and channel business sectors. Chris is also responsible for continuing to elevate the GPC customer experience across all divisions and for leading and developing the sales and marketing teams.

Chris has over 25 years of experience developing technology solutions over fiber optic networks, launching and growing new platforms and building sustainable business models. His experience includes executive leadership roles at CenturyLink and Level 3 Communications (today rebranded Lumen Technologies); Con Edison Communications; TW Telecom; and MFS Communications.

He has an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Ken Pfister

SR. VICE PRESIDENT OF REGULATORY POLICY

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Ken Pfister is the Sr. Vice President of Regulatory Policy for GPC. He is responsible for the company strategy regarding access, Universal Service Fund (USF) and interconnection at the state and federal levels.

Ken has been with GPC since 2000 and has over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. His role requires him to serve on various industry committees to influence and change telecommunication practices and regulations.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Kim Ptacnik

VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

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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 GPC.

A vital member of our executive leadership team, Ptacnik joined GPC after graduating from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 1985.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Todd Foje

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Learn More

Todd Foje is Chief Executive Officer of Great Plains Communications LLC (GPC) 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 GPC.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Janelle Allison

CHIEF SERVICE DELIVERY OFFICER

Learn More

Janelle Allison joined Great Plains Communications in 2005 and currently serves as the Chief Service Delivery Officer. She oversees several areas of the business including the GPC Customer Response Center, field operations, project management, and legal. She is responsible for managing GPC’s service delivery to ensure the development of strategic plans aligns with accountability of performance and adheres to corporate values.

Allison is also responsible for attainment of operational, strategic and financial goals. She is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of accounting and finance experience.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Tony Thakur

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Learn More

Tony Thakur is the Chief Technology Officer of GPC, 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.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Nicholas Wilkin

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

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Nicholas Wilkin is the Chief Financial Officer of GPC. He is responsible for overseeing the company’s financial performance, budgets and forecasts. Wilkin has over two decades of financial experience managing successful exits and acquisitions, raising capital and leading and implementing operational and financial strategies.

He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and graduated Magna Cum Laude, Jacob Albright Scholar from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Economics.

MicrosoftTeams image 12

Katie Curtis

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

Learn More

Katie Curtis serves as the company’s Chief Information Officer. She is responsible for strategic planning for technology, infrastructure, information system assets, data management and enterprise security.

Curtis has over a decade of experience in Information Technology leadership roles including enterprise IT roadmaps, increasing productivity through automation, and translating customer needs into new technology products and services.

Katie received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado and her ITIL V3 certification from the Help Desk Institute.

Joe Pellegrini 250

Joe Pellegrini

CHIEF CONSTRUCTION OFFICER

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Joe Pellegrini is the Chief Construction Officer of GPC. He is responsible for GPC’s fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) strategic growth initiative to residential customers in new markets, as well as aggressive expansion in current Midwestern markets.

Joe has more than 20 years of leadership experience in operations, telecommunications, wireless deployment and construction management.

sikora

Chris Sikora

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

Learn More

Chris Sikora is the Chief Revenue Officer for GPC. He is responsible for driving new revenue across enterprise, residential, multi-dwelling unit (MDU), wholesale and channel business sectors. Chris is also responsible for continuing to elevate the GPC customer experience across all divisions and for leading and developing the sales and marketing teams.

Chris has over 25 years of experience developing technology solutions over fiber optic networks, launching and growing new platforms and building sustainable business models. His experience includes executive leadership roles at CenturyLink and Level 3 Communications (today rebranded Lumen Technologies); Con Edison Communications; TW Telecom; and MFS Communications.

He has an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Ken Pfister

SR. VICE PRESIDENT OF REGULATORY POLICY

Learn More

Ken Pfister is the Sr. Vice President of Regulatory Policy for GPC. He is responsible for the company strategy regarding access, Universal Service Fund (USF) and interconnection at the state and federal levels.

Ken has been with GPC since 2000 and has over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. His role requires him to serve on various industry committees to influence and change telecommunication practices and regulations.

Todd Foje, Chief Executive Officer

Kim Ptacnik

VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Learn More

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 GPC.

A vital member of our executive leadership team, Ptacnik joined GPC after graduating from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 1985.

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