A full schedule of visits, tours, and meetings left employees with new insights about TDS and a lot of good takeaways about Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico. Those visiting the Land of Enchantment were: Jim Butman, president and CEO of TDS Telecom; Andrew Buchert, vice president of Field Services; Chad Hoeft, regional manager of Field Services; and Michele Slattery, director of Sales.
Jerry Valles, manager of Field Services; James Perales, broadband technician; and Chad Hoeft work on a repair in Carlsbad.
The group spent Oct. 14-16 traveling in New Mexico to see two of TDS’ cable markets. “We had outstanding visits in both Hobbs and Carlsbad!” Butman said it was especially “uplifting to meet such an exceptional group of employees that we have in these markets.”
In Hobbs, Jim, Andrew, Chad, and Michele kicked off the day with a town hall, Q&A session with employees, and a tour of the new Field Tech Center. When fully staffed, the new center will house about 16 employees. The facility is situated next to a warehouse, owned by TDS.
According to TDS’ Mark Martell, manager of Field Services, the center will provide a much-needed provisioning area to prepare equipment before being installed. The new center has an independent phone system, Wi-Fi, office spaces, a bathroom, and ample parking for the techs. In addition, there is “secure parking for the trucks.” Construction on the 2,400 square foot building began last year and was recently completed.
Taking in the flavors of the Southwest are: Courtney Sosa, direct sales representative; Jim; Haley Ganaway, team lead of Direct Sales; and Brittany Embry, direct sales representative. The group met for lunch at La Fiesta in Hobbs.
Lunch was at a local Tex-Mex restaurant called La Fiesta. The afternoon was spent touring local businesses and the area surrounding Hobbs. With a population of about 35,000, Hobbs is located a few miles from the northwestern Texas border and about 300 miles southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The largest industries in Hobbs are mining, quarrying, oil, and gas extraction.
Next stop was Carlsbad, New Mexico, about 70 miles southwest of Hobbs. Jim, Andrew, Chad, and Michele hosted a town hall and a Q&A session for Carlsbad employees. The day also included visiting new development areas, Greene Street, RV parks and workforce housing area for the oil and gas industry workers. A 400-bed housing camp is now under construction.
With a population of about 30,000, Carlsbad is a hub for potash mining, petroleum production, and tourism. Senior Account Executive Tonya Beauchamp says the population of Carlsbad actually grows to about 85,000 to 100,000 during the work week due to workers coming in to work in the oil fields. This is an estimate from the local power and water companies who say usage rates almost triple during the work week.
Tourists enjoy visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which is located 20 miles southwest of the city, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park, located 54 miles southwest of the city.
Jim noted that it’s an honor to have TDS in these communities and we take great pride in bringing the best communication services to the people of New Mexico.
Jim Butman and Barbara Mick, manager of Field Cable Marketing
Photos courtesy of TDS’ Barbara Mick, manager of Field Cable Marketing
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