Richard “Rich” Poland
Vice President, HunTel Engineering
Rich probably needs no introduction to those of you in the industry, but we decided to see if we could get him to come out of his shell a little bit as our featured HunTel Engineering Employee of the Quarter. Quiet and reserved would not be the way to describe Rich. Jolly and verbose on the other hand, would be spot on. I had the opportunity to sit down with Rich and have a candid conversation. Here is what Rich had to say…
Rich you have been in the industry a long time-
What keeps you in this business?
“I just love the people. I started with Collins Radio back in 1968 in Dallas and I came back to Iowa in 1982. In all that time I have been associated with the Independent Telco’s and I just fell in love with them.”
If your career had taken another path, what profession or industry could you see yourself involved in?
“When I graduated from tech school with an electronics degree I wanted to get into electronics. At that point there was a lot of work with government communications and government electronics and if I had not gone to work for Collins Radio I might have been involved in some government development of some sorts.”
What challenges do you see facing the industry going forward?
“You look, and the industry has been challenged many, many times in the past. Back in the 60’s is when the telephone companies started burying plant. You look at the plant today and most of the independent’s plant is buried. The next challenge was broadband and the industry met that head on and has come up with cost effective broadband solutions. Much more so than the Tier 1 carriers and folks like that have. I believe the next thing that is going to challenge us is the lower revenues and staving off larger carriers. I think we could see more consolidation, but as far as I am concerned we are going to pull through.”
Do you see any parallels between the past challenges and those that lie ahead?
“Yes I can see parallels. The problems may be a little different, instead of broadband it may be revenues. However, in fending off the Tier 1 carriers of the world, the Independents will win just because of the service they provide their customers. The independents know how to take care of a customer. They have their front offices and a local presence. The Tier 1 carriers have closed their offices and have no local presence or contact with their customers. The Independents will survive on service and by taking care of their customers.”
You have always been heavily involved in technology, what technological innovations have amazed you the most?
“I have to say data. I can remember back when the first PC’s that I had ever seen were the Commodore 64’s. When I started down in Dallas our computers were actually sitting in California and we were attached by a T-1 over satellite. Once we got PC’s, everything changed. To me, right there, was the revolution of the data industry. The data industry has grown by leaps and bounds ever since. I cannot believe what you can get today over a wireless network. Down load videos, text messages etc. Everyone has a device of some sort that is all run on a data network.”
What amazing new technological innovations do you see coming?
“I am going to say that DWDM is going to expand more and more all the time due to the data demands. Right now we are doing a lot of CWDM and maybe some ten channel DWDM, but you are going to see that grow to 100 channel DWDM at 40 and 100 Gig. per channel. One of these days, and it may happen in my life time, you are going to have 40 to 100 Gig going right into the house. To make that happen you are going to have to have DWDM.”
You came to HunTel in 1994, why did you decide to join HunTel?
“To stay with the Independents! At that time I was working for Alcatel. They were putting all of their R&D money into large systems and running after the MCIs and AT&Ts of the world. I decided I wanted to stay with the Independents Telco’s. Rick Plugge gave me the opportunity to stay with the Independents, so I jumped ship”.
What do you enjoy most about working at HunTel Engineering?
“The freedom I have. The Hunt family treats me just like a member of the family. At Collins and Rockwell I was known as employee number 97132. At Huntel I am known as Rich Poland. I know I have an employee number somewhere, but I have no earthly idea where or what it is.”
What is your favorite thing to do in the world?
“It has to be to play with my grandkids. There is a sign in my house, which says "Grandkids are God’s gift for not killing your own" and I am a firm believer in that. I have four grandkids and the oldest will be thirteen here shortly and I have an eight year old, a five year old and a two year old. They come over to the house and I thoroughly enjoy them being there. The other thing I truly enjoy is traveling. Last month, I went to Hawaii and that was the fiftieth state I have been in. When I set foot on the soil in Hawaii, I had finally been in all fifty states of the United States. My wife and I did a lot of traveling and we really enjoyed it. Right now I have a lake house and I can sit down there and watch the world go by and just enjoy the things around me.”
So the lake house is where you go to hide?
“Yes, when it is not flooded.”
Tell us something about yourself that nobody knows, and you would just as soon not get out?
“That is tough, because I am an open book. The one thing I would have to say is that meeting my wife probably kept me out of jail. I was a hellion all the way through school. It was my wife Betty’s idea to make a life and settle down and have kids. We had 4 kids in 3 years and I am proud of each and every one of them.”
If you had one message for our readers what would it be?
“The one thing I would really like to be remembered for is that I am a member of the Independent Telephone Industry. I am proud to say that I work in the Independent Telephone Industry. The people, the commitment to service, make me proud to be an Independent Telephone person.”
Richard “Rich” Poland joined HunTel Engineering as Network Engineer Manager in 1994 and has been in the telecommunications industry since 1968. He was promoted to Vice-President in 1997, but has always stayed in charge of the Network Engineering group.
After graduating from United Electronics Institution of West Des Moines, Iowa in 1968 he worked as a test technician for Collins Radio in Richardson, Texas. After five years Rich was promoted to supervisor over the final production microwave radio system test unit. In 1980 Rockwell/Collins developed one of the first light wave communications operating systems working at 90 MBits. Rich was among those associates selected to work in the engineering group to promote, design, and install these systems for telephone companies. During this time he taught basic electronics and communications systems at Elkins Institute and Dallas County Community College.
After four years in engineering Rich was recruited for a Field Sales position covering the five states of Northwestern Bell (now Qwest-Century Link) calling on telephone companies, private networks, and common carriers. In the seven years of field sales Rich helped design and implement over fifty fiber optic transport systems in the Midwest area.
Rich and Betty were married for forty-one years and they had four children- Amy (39); Missy (38)- husband Mark & grandson Andrew (13); Aaron (36)- wife Staci & granddaughter Berkli (2); Bryce (36)-wife Jamie & granddaughter Hailie (8) & grandson Brock (5)