Tapped as CEO in January after 18 years at Cox Communications, Martin dove in headfirst as leader of the ever-expanding Point Broadband. She’s fleshed out her leadership team, bringing in vets like former Comcaster Joann Shumard as Chief Network Officer and Segra’s Zenita Henderson as CMO. Martin is on the lookout for opportunities to grow Point Broadband’s footprint across its 10-state territory. In October, it acquired Riviera Utilities’ cable and internet business in Foley, Alabama, and immediately got to work upgrading it to fiber.
“One young woman who is certainly changing the world is Caitlin Clark, the WNBA rookie basketball player. I think she’s absolutely fascinating. She is drawing eyes to the sport, including my boys, who now like to watch women’s basketball and soccer because “the girls don’t flop.” Women’s sports are becoming primetime events, there’s a glimmer of that, thanks to her. And Caitlin has had unbelievable pressure on her and she’s handled it with remarkable grace this year while under fire.”
What benefits should companies consider offering to support women advancement and to make the workplace more equitable? Maternity and paternity leave should be standard for all employees, full stop. It is vital for parents to bond with their children. With my youngest child, I had to return to work while my newborn was still in the NICU. But it was the difference between a paycheck to keep everyone else going and to protect my job. And that was only 15 years ago! Having the time to focus on bonding with your family will help to prepare better leaders, men and women.
What do you believe is the next big disruption facing the industry? Consolidation! Providers are taking ownership of the customer experience, which requires different things from service providers than in the past. There will continue to be increased consolidation among cable, fiber and fixed wireless. All of that is coming together.
What female artist has dominated your playlists this year? I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan. I utterly love and appreciate how she has focused on being true to who she is. Not only is her music great, but she’s inclusive and is a great role model. She’s probably everything you want your children to grow up to. She surrounds herself with really good advisors and listens to them, and then also knows when to listen to her gut. So, I think she’s pretty amazing.