ACA Connects Names Veteran Telecom Executive Grant Spellmeyer As New CEO

The ACA Connects board of directors on Tuesday selected Grant Spellmeyer to become the next ACAC president and chief executive officer. Spellmeyer, who has an extensive background in the wireline and wireless industries, will succeed 25-year veteran Matt Polka, who recently announced his intention to step down in July.

“After numerous internal discussions and a thoughtful, extended search, we’re so pleased Grant Spellmeyer is joining us as the new leader of our esteemed service-first organization,” said ACA Connects Chairman Patricia Jo Boyers, who is co-founder and president of BOYCOM Vision in Poplar Bluff, Mo. “Grant Spellmeyer is highly respected for his knowledge and thought leadership. He understands the challenges ACAC members face every day, and he has the expertise to advocate on our behalf to influence positive change.”

Boyers, along with ACAC Vice Chairman Mike Bowker, who is chief operating officer of Cable One in Phoenix, worked with the selection committee in assessing the opportunities ahead for ACAC. The committee was united in choosing Spellmeyer as the new leader “owing to his solid grounding in the issues and service-first mindset necessary to succeed in the job,” ACAC said.

Bowker said: “Grant Spellmeyer’s indisputable qualifications and his understanding of smaller, independent companies made it clear to me he’s the president and CEO we need at this time.”

“Simply put,” Boyers added, “Mr. Spellmeyer has a reputation for getting things done — and we like that at ACAC.”

Spellmeyer is a telecommunications policy veteran with a solid record of success at the federal and state levels. He joins ACA Connects from U.S. Cellular Corp., where most recently he was vice president of government affairs.

Spellmeyer said: “I look forward to working with ACAC’s experienced staff, ACAC members, and federal and state policy makers to strengthen the position of independent companies in the communications marketplace.

“One overarching goal is to ensure ACAC members continue to succeed in providing consumers with a variety of competitive services — regardless of company size or geography — today and in the future.”