Bunnie Riedel, President

With over twenty years experience in telecommunications and nonprofit management, Ms. Riedel has provided strategic advice to regulators at the federal, state and local levels of government and has filed authoritative comments with the Federal Communications Commission.  Additionally, she has assisted nonprofit executives and Boards of Directors in achieving their goals. 
    
An innovative leader and energetic advocate, Ms. Riedel has conducted ordinance and regulatory review, assisted communities in franchise negotiations and PEG startup and delivered hundreds of speeches and workshops on telecommunications across the nation.

 

 Additionally, Ms. Riedel has delivered addresses on best practices in cable telecommunications to The Broadcasting Institute, South Korea; the OurMedia conference in Colombia; and the Next Communications Civilization symposium in Paris.  At the U.S. Department of State’s request she has frequently advised international audiences from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Thailand, Venezuela and Ukraine.

   

Ms. Riedel has been interviewed on dozens of radio programs and quoted in newspapers from coast to coast.  In addition to articles in three college textbooks her publication credits include:

 

·     Community Media Review (Award Winning Quarterly Journal)

·     MulitChannel News

·     Campaigns, Candidates, Elections and PEG

·     Successfully Negotiating a Franchise Renewal

·     Community Media Resource Directory

·     Guide to Controversial Programming

·     Public Policy Update

·     Producer’s Handbook

·     “Creating an International and Domestic Communications Policy for the Public Interest,” The Next Communication Civilization, Ed. Haidemenakis, E. S.T.E.P.S. Foundation: 2000.

·     Article “Protecting Community Public Interest,” American Independent Video and Filmmaker (AIVF) Magazine.

 

Her contributions in telecommunications and nonprofit management have brought her local and national recognition. Her awards include:

 

·     Gold Circle Financial Management Award, American Society of Association Executives

·     Everett Goldberg Memorial Award, Baltimore Community Access Corporation

·     Hammer Award for Re-inventing Government, Vice-President Al Gore

·     Associations Advance America Award, American Society of Association Executives

·     Leadership Award, California State Senate

  

Bunnie Riedel holds a Master’s Degree and

is a Phi Kappa Phi Scholar

 

 

 

PARTNERS

 

 

Laura Rossi, Conference Planning

 

Laura Rossi has almost ten years experience as a conference planner.  She has managed every aspect of conference planning such as: site location; sponsorship materials; transportation logisitics; menu selection; room set-up; audio visual management; registration; coordination and execution of trade shows (up to 1,500 vendors and attendees); coordination of speakers (up to 100); and management of volunteers.

  

     When it comes to conference planning there is nothing Laura cannot do!

 

  

David Hawksworth, Facilities, Equipment, Videography

 

 David Hawksworth has been involved in public, education, and government access since 1989.  Most recently, he served as Executive Director of Community Access Television in Salina, Kansas.  In that role, he formulated short-term and long-term capital purchase plans, and researched, purchased, and installed all production equipment, transitioning the facility to an all-digital production environment.  In addition, he oversaw the building of a new production truck for the organization.

  

David also re-designed Community Access Television’s master control operation, making it more efficient and improving workflow for staff and volunteers, and completely re-designed the City of Salina’s government meeting production facility, vastly improving its capabilities as well as its production quality.  He also served as a consultant for Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina to put together a capital purchase plan for their television production facility.

  

 In addition to his facilities and equipment expertise, Dave is the “go-to guy” for videography.  Dave produces a wide range of commercials, PSA’s and videos of full-length nonprofit events.

 

 

Richard D. Treich, Front Range Consulting, Inc.

 

Richard D. Treich brings over thirty years experience in utility and cable regulation to the franchise mangement process. Formerly Senior Vice President, Rate and Regulatory Matters at AT&T Broadband, Mr. Treich serves as FRC’s CEO. The firm is solely dedicated to assisting clients in the governmental telecommunications sector.

  

FRC believes that its governmental clients are best served by conducting a thorough and cost effective review of the potential issues. FRC is committed to ensuring municipal clients that the consulting activities are performed with the utmost integrity with regards to the recommendations and conclusions. FRC believes its consulting projects will stand the scrutiny by the cable operators, the FCC and/or the judicial system. Mr. Treich prior to joining AT&T had extensive experience in leading a large national consulting practice for an accounting firm and this experience has created a sound foundation for meeting and exceeding his clients expectations on both the resulting recommendations and the cost effectiveness of the engagement.

  

FRC can assist governmental entities with a variety of professional services in the telecommunications arena including:

 

·     Financial Analyses surrounding Franchise Transfers and Renewals;

·     Franchise Fee Reviews and Audits;

·     FCC Rate Regulatory Filings (Forms 1205, 1210 and 1240);

·     Effective Competition Filings;

·     Customer Service Standards and Reviews; and

·     Regulatory and Litigation Support.

 

 

Garth Ashpaugh, CPA and Carolyn Sculco, CPA

  

The firm of Ashpaugh & Sculco have leveraged 31 years of accounting experience to assist over 200 local governments in cable television and telecommunications matters.  Garth and Carolyn serve their clients by analyzing a cable operator’s financial capabilities and providing sound advice on cable rate regulation. As accountants who understand of the provisions of the Cable Act’s renewal procedures, the 1996 Telecommunications Act and local government’s “burden of proof” under those procedures, A & S brings a unique perspective to financial evaluation of the cable industry. 

  

Services include the following:

·     Franchise Fee Review

·     Cable Television Rate Filings

·     Franchise Agreement Negotiations and Discussions

·     Rate and Cost of Service Studies

·     Litigation Services and Expert Testimony

·     Telecommunications Education and Planning

 

  

Legal Counsel

 

Riedel Communications has worked with Walter & Haverfield, LLP (Cleveland); Moss & Barnett (Minneapolis); and Miller VanEaton (D.C.);  Bradley and Guzzetta (St. Paul) for cable franchise renewal assistance and community needs assessments.