Vosberg Enterprises Welcomes New Owners

On Friday, September 2, 2022, Vosberg Enterprises Inc. was purchased by Trevor and Brett Larson. The brothers have been with Vosberg Enterprises for several years where they have learned the ins and outs of both the farm drainage and machining sides of the company from the previous owners, and brothers, Jeff and Gary Vosberg. Jeff and Gary will continue working with the company to help transition the leadership roles smoothly.

“It’s important to us to express that, as a company, we are and will continue to operate the same as we have in years past. We have always thought Vosberg Enterprises has delivered quality service in the surrounding areas and we will do our best to live up to the high reputation the Vosberg family has built over the past 70 years.” explains Trevor Larson.

The Larsons and the Vosbergs gave credit to several entities that helped in this transition including their customers, the Small Business Development Center, and Brian Lane of Security Savings Bank. They also noted Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association, Calhoun County Electric Cooperative Association, and Calhoun County Economic Development Corporation as they were able to collaborate with local lenders by utilizing Revolving Loan Funds.

WCCTA established a Revolving Loan Fund in 2017 with funds from the USDA to help improve quality of life in rural areas by contributing to the long-term improvement of the economy including job creation and retention.

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV, Internet and Wifi service to 20 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, Duncombe, and in the towns of Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City and Lake City. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Convenience Is Important To Rural Bank Customers

Things have evolved in the world of banking over the past 100 years at Security Savings Bank. As their business has grown from one location to seven locations, and the technology has grown from paper and pencil to mobile banking. In today’s world having broadband is important to businesses like Security Savings Bank to offer the technology that customers want accessible at their fingertips. Quick and easy access at any time of day.

When you think of local community banks they are cornerstones of our small rural communities. A place where everyone knows everyone. Customers stop in to visit and make a transaction or call into the bank for information.

“Having broadband access is tremendous. Our customers want and really expect us to have that type of technology.” Brad Lane, President & CEO Security Savings Bank

But according to Brad Lane, Security Savings Bank President and CEO, “In today’s society our customers don’t necessarily want to come into the bank or call into the bank whenever they want to check a balance or loan payment. They want to be able to do it at their convenience. Quick and easy. They want to be able to look at it on weekends and evenings.

“The fact that we have all these products and services is really so our bank can be open to these customers 24 hours a day. It’s a big change from what it used to be.”

At Security Savings Bank staff and customers alike use access to the Internet to keep lines of communication open. From communicating between branch locations, efficient online training for staff, and offering account information or services to customers, broadband from WCCTA links all those pieces together.

“It is paramount that we have exceptional and dependable service. Without the type of service we get from WCCTA it would be very difficult for our customer to have that kind of online or mobile experience. They would have to come into the bank and it’s not as convenient,” adds Lane.

https://youtu.be/L7TsGRgoFB0

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe with new investments in 2020 into Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City and Lake City. www.wccta.net

WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Managed Wi-Fi Is Solution During Pandemic

The Burger family was like many families going into the pandemic. Stacey Burger began working from her rural Gowrie home and depended on her Internet service from Webster-Calhoun. “I was having issues remoting into my work computer and spent countless hours on the phone with tech support. My computer continued to randomly drop the work connection.”

This became increasingly frustrating throughout her time home and into summer. “I really didn’t think the problem was on our end (at home) because everything else was working fine.” Other devices throughout their home would still connect to Wi-Fi without issues. As part of their troubleshooting process they finally decided to purchase a new router; however, the choices were so overwhelming when trying to research and find a router to fit their needs.

As the new school year loomed ahead with uncertainty of going back to school or online learning the family wanted to be prepared and decided to contact Webster-Calhoun about the Managed Wi-Fi service.

“WCCTA’s Managed Wi-Fi service has optimized our home Wi-Fi experience and my ability to work from home during the pandemic.” Stacey Burger

Stacey learned the Managed Wi-Fi service from WCCTA provides a wireless router device installed by WCCTA technicians in the customer’s home in an optimum location for the family’s use as well as continual maintenance and upgrades for a low monthly fee. It takes all the hassles away for the customer.

Stacey was relieved not to have to worry about remoting into her work anymore. “Since the new router was installed by WCCTA I have not once lost my connection to work which has been a huge time saver! I also find peace of mind knowing that we can call WCCTA if we ever experience issues instead of trying to troubleshoot the issue ourselves.”

WCCTA is happy to provide a quality and reliable solution for the Burger family. More information about WCCTA’s Managed Wi-Fi program can be found on the company’s website at www.wccta.net.

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Newspaper Excels in Digital World

Most people would think that traditional print newspapers delivered through a traditional postal service are becoming a thing of the past but not necessarily so in the community of Gowrie in southwest Webster County, Iowa. They are combining paper and digital online products to reach a broader audience and relying on broadband to create, process and distribute their content.

“We depend on WCCTA for reliable broadband and trust them with our business.” – Rick Vinsand, Owner, The Gowrie News

“The Gowrie News has coverage beyond just the local community of Gowrie,” states Rick Vinsand, Owner and Editor of The Gowrie News. Rick and his wife, Julie, purchased the newspaper in 2017 and have increased coverage of local and school district events throughout the county. Much to the delight of subscribers, area readers can find photos, results and articles of various school and community events.

Purchasing the local newspaper added to their existing publications such as FarmWorx and RoadWorx magazines and other print projects. With so many publications going out they have multiple daily deadlines to keep on schedule. “Our broadband signal is crucial in order for us to meet our deadlines. We’re so fortunate to have Webster-Calhoun as our broadband partner. They provide us with excellent and reliable service and we trust them with our business.” adds Vinsand.

Their operation requires a quality and reliable broadband connection because everything is completed online. Starting at the point of sale, all of their accounting is shared directly with their bookkeepers electronically. Composition and paste up is done digitally and emailed back and forth between the editors, writers and graphic designers. They can provide proofs to clients, upload images to social media and correspond with customers.

“Actually the digital publication is viewed before our newspaper is printed. The concept of digital publications is more common today than it’s ever been and all of our publications are digital,” adds Vinsand. “Even subscribers rely on Internet to quickly load the content. They can pick up their cell phone, ipad or notebook at any time and read our newspaper. If our customer is reading the online newspaper and can’t ‘turn the page’ that creates frustration.”

“We’re so fortunate to have WCCTA as our broadband partner. They provide us with excellent service.”

https://youtu.be/KDD52Be3lK0

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Online Company Pioneers Virtual Party

For Megan Alliger of rural Gowrie, Iowa, an investment of $99 and an Internet connection in 2014 started out as a fun side business she could do while at home with her children. A farm wife and now mother of three she soon turned that opportunity into so much more. “I just wanted to kind of try the products. Younique is very mission based to uplift, empower and validate women and that really spoke to me.”

Megan Alliger, Black Status Presenter for Younique, is a stay at home mom and farm wife. She attained the top level “Black Status” by selling Younique brand cosmetics then recruiting and training over 1500 presenters through social media and an Internet connection from Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association.

Founded in 2012 Younique cosmetics is the first direct sales company to market and sell online almost exclusively through the use of social media. The Younique virtual party business model pioneered the transition from a traditional home party to the huge world of social media. To build her business Alliger communicates with her teammates, receives support and tools from corporate and corresponds with customers through social media and video tutorials while utilizing the Younique ecommerce site.

“This business is completely digital,” adds Alliger, “I can work from my phone, my laptop, my tablet. I’m always connected. The reason I am where I am is because I have a very good, reliable broadband connection.”

With the flexibility of being online Alliger can work from home while with her children or helping her husband, a grain and livestock farmer. “Working from home is what it sounds like. I am able to be home with my kids and make them breakfast and play games with them and while they’re taking a nap I can grab my phone and do whatever I need to do online. I’m doing live videos for my team, make-up tutorials for my customers and I can do that all between loads of laundry.”

By July of 2018 Alliger had turned this opportunity into quite a business as a black status presenter with over 1,500 team members looking to her for support. “I plan to expand my business and continue to grow. I have a lot of things I worry about but my Internet connection is not one of them. I have WCCTA.”

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Big Taste in an Unforgettable Place

Several years ago Vaughn and Lori Bauer wanted to open a restaurant in Paton, Iowa. They wanted something unique that would bring in travelers from all over the state. Six years later the dream has become a reality and has made quite a difference in the small community with a population around 230.

“Broadband allows us to be a modern restaurant and to be able to do the quality and quantity of things we need to do in a small town. We wouldn’t be able to run our business without it.” – Jason Rogers, General Manager, 209 Main

The restaurant, named 209 Main, is the actual street address where it is located in Paton. It includes a unique mix of contemporary and rustic details in an upscale and relaxing setting whether you are in the bar, the dining area or the spacious banquet hall. The hall holds up to 160 people and is a common area for parties, sporting event watch parties, wedding receptions, business meetings, family and holiday parties.

One of the aspects important to their success is access to rural broadband.

“Without broadband and the reliability of WCCTA it would basically shut down our business,” states Jason Rogers, General Manager, 209 Main. “For example, ordering supplies is important. I can’t simply run to the store and get some of the things I need to keep my business up and running. It’s a lot of windshield time if I run out of cauliflower or french fries. If I have to make a special trip that cuts into the efficiencies of the business. Broadband enables us to be a modern restaurant in a small town.”

Broadband offers critical conveniences for customers ranging from credit card payments and social media interaction to an online jukebox and streaming events. Even basic functions such as monitoring and adjusting the heating and cooling system is accessible online.

“We know we have the highest standards of technology at our disposal. I can’t imagine running the business without broadband from WCCTA,” adds Rogers.

https://youtu.be/D9r5BlpscJI

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Solid Gigabit Capable Network

In September 2017 NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association recognized Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association as one of 13 rural broadband providers with the Smart Rural Community Showcase award. They were recognized for their efforts to deliver technologies that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business.

“WCCTA is prime example of the power of a broadband connection and a steadfast commitment to growth and prosperity,” said NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield.

“Not only are the people of WCCTA charting their own path to a more prosperous future, they are also creating a road map for many more communities across the country to follow suit. I commend the people of WCCTA for these extraordinary efforts.”

“It’s a solid, Gigabit capable network and has very little downtime. It is something we’re very proud of” states WCCTA General Manager, Daryl Carlson.

As a member owned cooperative and independent telecommunications provider WCCTA provides service to 16 rural communities throughout five counties covering 715 square miles. According to WCCTA General Manager, Daryl Carlson, “We’ve plowed a tremendous amount of Fiber out into those rural areas and built a solid backbone from a network perspective to give all our members broadband capabilities.” That process completed in 2011 included more than a decade of construction and an investment of more than $20 Million dollars.

Wireless needs wires, too. WCCTA already connects Fiber to a number of cellular towers in the service area. This will be critical with the industry push towards 5G technology.

Receiving the Gigabit Certification through NTCA in 2015, WCCTA continues to upgrade technology and equipment powering the Fiber network. Technicians locate and maintain over 1,000 miles of buried Fiber Optic cable as part of WCCTA’s Fiber to the Home network. Maintenance is ongoing to make sure the network for members continues to provide quality and reliable service.

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Working Smarter Not Harder

Farming is a lot of hard physical labor but broadband access allows the Carlson Family of Gowrie, Iowa to work smarter as part of their grain and livestock operation

These are so many ways broadband makes access to and transferring information easier for this family’s farming operation. Josh Carlson appreciates keeping connected to different people such as agronomists, buyers and sellers for livestock. His mother, Jennifer Carlson, monitors markets and appreciates the access to reporting capabilities at the local grain cooperative

Weather stations can provide rain totals for each field location, combines collect real time harvest data in the field, and access to scale tickets at the local cooperative may be available online before the truck driver sees it. “We don’t have to drive around to every farm to see if it’s ready to harvest or if it’s ready to plant we have a weather station that we can look on the Internet and see how much rain each field has gotten.” says Jennifer

She adds, “You check the markets, hog prices, cattle prices, all of that stuff is important and if you don’t have the broadband you might be missing out on opportunities when to sell.”

“We are so intertwined with broadband here on our operation. Without reliable broadband we wouldn’t be able to function as efficiently with what we do.” says Jim Carlson.

https://youtu.be/Kb1t7LJsPAo?si=UTz6SM-mv8YALc32

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Broadband Ensures Health and Safety

Reliable and quality broadband from WCCTA is important to Jenna Sturm, PhamD, a pharmacist at Community Pharmacy in Gowrie, Iowa. “We all are connected as a unit at Stewart Memorial Community Hospital. We have four Community Pharmacy locations and broadband allows us to pull all of that data into one system which is great.”

“Broadband from WCCTA ensures health and safety for our patients on a daily basis.” states Jenna Sturm, PharmD, Community Pharmacy, Gowrie.

Sturm uses broadband as part of every aspect of her job. “With technology we can receive a prescription from a doctor while the patient is still at the doctor’s office. We can process the prescription, ensure patient safety all through the use of broadband and have the medication ready for them before they even enter our pharmacy.”

Broadband access connects the pharmacy to a number of databases and resources and allows them to receive and fill prescriptions from doctors next door at the clinic as well as across the United States. They can efficiently verify prescription accuracy and determine drug interactions to ensure patient safety. “We use broadband literally all day long every single day.” adds Sturm.

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Modern Touch to Old School Barbershop

In his own words Phillip DeCastro took the old school feel of a barbershop and added a touch of modern element to it. What is that modern element? Broadband. DeCastro, owner of The Drill Barbershop in Gowrie, opened his shop about 3 ½ years ago when he and his wife moved back to her hometown in Iowa.

Moving from the Los Angeles area, DeCastro had an opportunity to continue a tradition in downtown Gowrie in a building that had housed a barbershop for over 100 years.

“Broadband allows me to keep all my appointments and be able to reach all my customers whenever and wherever I am.”- Phil, The Dril

“The cool thing about broadband is it actually sets the tone for my shop. It allows me to stream music, stream video, schedule appointments and take payments,” according to DeCastro.

When first opening, Phil concentrated marketing efforts online such as search engine optimization and getting to the top of web searches for men’s haircuts and barbering as well as online appointment scheduling. Business has continued to grow allowing Phil to expand his business to another location in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Not only a small business owner DeCastro is also active in the community with the City Parks Board and Gowrie Development Commission. DeCastro adds, “Having broadband is a crucial player in allowing small towns of 1,000 to be on the same level with other businesses.

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.