CableFAX: 54. Compassionate Competitor: Colleen Abdoulah
Colleen Abdoulah
Title: President/CEO, Wide Open West
Last Year: #61
Age: 49
Education: U of Denver, MBA
Why Her? We love Abdoulah’s direct style, where employees come first, which translates to great customer care. That’s why WOW! won our Top Indie Operator Award this summer. Behind marketing bundled video, voice and data services in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, Denver-based WOW! operates with the core values of respect, integrity, accountability and "servanthood."
Worth Watching: WOW! supplies data to NebuAd, which is being investigated by Congress for unauthorized data mining under Sect 631 privacy provisions of the Communications Act. Given its core values, will WOW! switch fully to opt-in permission marketing?
Year Ahead: 
With expanded fiber deployment and above-average customer service, the overbuilder offers a strong alternative to traditional cable.
Unnecessary Luxury I Like Most: Convertible sports cars
In ’09 I Resolve To: Keep loving and laughing
Favorite Part of My Job: The people, and the ever-changing landscape
Best Business Advice Received: It’s all about people. Treat them well.
The Trait I Most Admire in People Is: Compassion
KF