By Jim Pilgrim

An old friend has hung up his holster and gun, and thrown his badge in a drawer. With a stroke of a pen, the RUS List of Materials was put out to pasture this week.

I have to tell you this feels pretty strange. Ensuring that our products at Clearfield are “listed” has been a big part of my job over the past 6 years. This was such an essential accomplishment for our product line in order to serve our Independent Telco customers. Where do we go from here?

New sheriffs in many towns across the country will be picking up the responsibility to protect their customers. Engineering Consultants will now be responsible to clearly state the specifications and requirements of products. I believe the legacy of the “List” will live on. Engineering firms are not going to risk the integrity of their customer’s networks and their own reputation by putting in sub-par equipment to save a buck. I am happy to see the “Buy American” clause will still be in effect and enforced by RUS.

I will miss going to third-party testing labs to shoot our PON cabinet with a shotgun, drop it out of a truck and try to start in on fire.

There is a new sheriff in town. It’s my honor to know many of them personally, all of them professionals. Our network quality will still be in good hands.