MINOT, ND – The SRT Communications, Inc. Board of Directors announced today that Cassidy Hjelmstad has been named Chief Executive Officer/General Manager of SRT effective January 1, 2022. She succeeds Steve Lysne who will retire December 31, 2021, after 27 years with the cooperative.

“The board and I are confident in Cassidy’s ability to guide this company in the years ahead,” said Board President Allan Engh. “The decision was carefully considered, and we were fortunate to have such qualified candidates. We look forward to her leadership, which will include completion of the fiber optic network build that delivers state of the art communication services to our members.”

Hjelmstad stated, “My family and I are humbled to serve this organization and continue SRT’s mission to meet and exceed the needs of our customers. I am grateful to the board of directors for their trust in me and for the management team and employees who have built the strong foundation we currently have. This is an exciting industry and I look forward to furthering the cooperative’s mission.”

Hjelmstad serves as the Chief Marketing Officer, leading the corporate communications, customer service and billing departments. She has led her teams to implement effective strategies for product sales growth while delivering exceptional customer experience.

Hjelmstad becomes the fifth Chief Executive Officer/General Manager in SRT’s 70-year history. Originally from Newburg, Hjelmstad, and her husband, Travis, have three children and live in Minot.

SRT Communications located in Minot, North Dakota is the state’s largest telecommunications cooperative. SRT is completing a fiber optic network build throughout its service area and offers Internet, Security, TV, Phone and Business Services. SRT has served north central North Dakota since 1951, employs nearly 200 people, and serves approximately 40,000 customers.

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MINOT, N.D. – SRT is proud to announce that Lillian Effertz from Velva has received a $2,500 Good Neighbor Scholarship through the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS). Founded in 1994, FRS is the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, of which SRT is a member.

The FRS Scholarship Program awards scholarships to students from rural communities for their first year of college, university, or vocational-technical school. Each student is sponsored by an NTCA member company that also contributes a portion of the scholarship award.

“On behalf of the Foundation for Rural Service, we were proud to award Lillian Effertz the Good Neighbor Scholarship. Through her commitment to her community and her desire to serve rural North Dakota students, Lillian truly embodies what it means to be a good neighbor,” said Shirley Bloomfield, Chief Executive Officer, NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association. “Congratulations, Lillian!”

SRT General Manager/Chief Executive Officer Steve Lysne stated, “Scholarships are an annual program we support. We offer several local scholarships, but are proud to work with the Foundation For Rural Service to give even more opportunities to youth and expose them to national awards. We were thrilled to hear a student from our area won a national award and wish the best to Lillian in all her future endeavors.”

A full list of scholarship awardees and the NTCA member companies who are partnering with FRS to make the funding possible is available online.

 SRT Communications located in Minot, North Dakota is the state’s largest telecommunications cooperative. SRT services include Internet, Security, TV, Phone and Business Services and has served north central North Dakota since 1951, employs more than 200 people, and serves over 48,000 customers.

 The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. Through scholarships, grants, and a variety of educational programs, FRS focuses on educating rural youth, encouraging community development and introducing policymakers to challenges unique to rural communities. Visit us at www.frs.org.

 NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. In an era of transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at https://www.ntca.org.

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