Press Press Releases

Valley Telephone Cooperative’s CEO, Steve Metts said “The Board of Directors is pleased to be able to provide financial resources to our area’s worthy students who intend to invest in their future through higher education”. Since 2003, Valley Telephone Cooperative Foundation and Copper Valley Telephone have awarded $1.2 million in scholarships and we look forward to continuing this program in the future.

About Valley Telephone Cooperative – Valley Telephone Cooperative is a local telecommunications company that provides local phone, long distance, high-speed Internet and digital cable television to many residents in Southeastern AZ and Southwestern NM since 1962.

Valley Telephone Cooperative's Board President, David Thompson, said, "It is our mission to improve the quality of life in our area and providing educational opportunities is very important. The Board of Directors is very pleased to be able to invest in the education of these worthy students."

Over the past twenty years, the VTC Education Foundation has dispersed scholarship funds in excess of $626,250.00.

About Valley Telephone Cooperative
Valley Telephone Cooperative is a local telecommunications company that provides local phone, long distance, highspeed internet and digital cable television to many residents in Southeastern AZ and Southwestern NM. They have been serving this area since 1962.

Valley TeleCom Group's representatives spoke about the importance of broadband for rural business development and growth and also the ways that broadband brings education, public safety, telemedicine and other opportunities to rural consumers. Mr. Metts and Mr. Thompson provided an overview of its service area in Arizona and New Mexico to highlight the types of services it provides to both consumers and businesses in this region as well as pointing to the number of jobs their company provides in these two states and other services that contribute to the area's economic development.

Valley TeleCom Group's representatives urged their congressional delegates to help them continue to provide the services their community needs at an affordable rate by removing regulatory uncertainty and urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reconsider the deep cuts and other extreme modifications it is proposing to impose on the Universal Service Fund (USF). Valley's representatives explained that cuts to this important fund could put existing investment in rural broadband at risk and discourage future investment in new broadband-capable networks by small companies such as Valley, leading to increased rates for telephone, broadband and other services Mr. Metts and Mr. Thompson were in Washington to participate in the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association's Legislative & Policy Conference, March 19-21. More than 500 rural telecom representatives from all over the country gathered in the nation's capital for educational briefings about emerging rules and regulations and other industry issues. They also took part in visits to policymakers on Capitol Hill and the FCC.

About Valley Telephone Cooperative
Valley Telephone Cooperative is a local telecommunications company that provides local phone, long distance, highspeed internet and digital cable television to many residents in Southeastern AZ and Southwestern NM. They have been serving this area since 1962.

Valley Telephone Cooperative's CEO, Steve Metts said, "We appreciate the patronage and loyalty of our membership. The 2012 payment is substantially larger than those done in recent years and the Board of Directors takes great pride in being able to return this amount of money to our membership and to the local economy. This year, Valley has been celebrating its 50th year of business and there could not be a better way to cap off another successful year."

Members of the Cooperative should start receiving checks in the mail during the week of December 10th.

About Valley Telephone Cooperative
Valley Telephone Cooperative is a local telecommunications company that provides local phone, long distance, highspeed internet and digital cable television to many residents in Southeastern AZ and Southwestern NM. They have been serving this area since 1962.

A special video presentation was developed commemorating Valley's 50th Anniversary featuring Lyle Donovan, Valley's first General Manager, Rich Dullum, former employee of Valley, and Valley's current C.E.O. and General Manager, Steve Metts. The video centered on the initial need to supply telephone services to the residents of rural Southeastern Arizona and Southwestern New Mexico with a historical perspective of how Valley began by establishing itself as a cooperative. The video continued with how Valley grew over the years, and addressed how Valley plans to evolve into their next fifty years. This commemorative video can be seen on Valley TeleCom Group's Community Channel One.

The 2012/2013 Scholarship Committee was then identified by President Thompson who then announced the scholarship recipients. Valley Telephone Foundation awarded thirty-two recipients scholarships totaling $80,000.00 along with Copper Valley Telephone which awarded five recipients scholarships totaling $5,000.00. Over the past twenty years, Valley Telephone Foundation has dispersed scholarship funds in excess of $542,250.00 and is committed to further enrich future generations by supporting higher education. After the scholarships were awarded, the Election Proctor announced the results of the Director Elections. The results were as follows: Carrol Miller of Rodeo, NM, re-elected for District #1, Ruby Sipes of San Simon, AZ, re-elected for District # 2, and Jyme Stoner of Pearce, AZ, re-elected for District #3. The meeting concluded with questions from the attending members followed by the drawing for door prizes and the Grand Prize drawing of $1,000.00. Joan Brown of Pearce, AZ, enthusiastically accepted the $1,000.00 Grand Prize when her ticket was drawn.

The meeting adjourned and was followed by a delicious luncheon prepared and served by the local FFA Chapter

About Valley Telephone Cooperative
Valley Telephone Cooperative is a local telecommunications company that provides local phone, long distance, highspeed internet and digital cable television to many residents in Southeastern AZ and Southwestern NM. They have been serving this area since 1962.

Valley Telephone Cooperative’s CEO, Steve Metts said “The Board of Directors is pleased to be able to provide financial resources to our area’s worthy students who intend to invest in their future through higher education”. Since 2003, Valley Telephone Cooperative Foundation and Copper Valley Telephone have awarded $1.3 million in scholarships and we look forward to continuing this program in the future.

About Valley Telephone Cooperative
Valley Telephone Cooperative is a local telecommunications company that provides local phone, long distance, highspeed internet and digital cable television to many residents in Southeastern AZ and Southwestern NM. They have been serving this area since 1962.

Valley Telephone Cooperative’s Board President, David Thompson said “We are so pleased to be able to provide scholarships in our communities to worthy students who invest in their future through higher education”. Since 2003, Valley Telephone Cooperatives Foundation has awarded over $1.4 million in scholarships and we look forward to continuing this program”.

Scholarship recipients were recognized at Valley Telephone Cooperative’s Annual Meeting on May 4, 2019 in San Simon, AZ.