McKinley Reserve and Bug Tussel Wireless Partner to Connect the Rural Midwest With Wireless Services
GREEN BAY, WI–(Marketwire – October 5, 2007) – McKinley Reserve and Bug Tussel Wireless today announced the formation of a new telecommunications company named Hilbert Communications, LLC. The new telecom company will have significant operations in downtown Green Bay and Hilbert, WI.
Tommy G. Thompson, Senior Advisor to private equity firm McKinley Reserve, former President G.W. Bush cabinet member and long-term governor of Wisconsin, announced the formation of the new company from its Green Bay office.
Hilbert Communications is expected to be one of the largest rural telecommunications firms in the country. “We are entering the rural telecom market with the Bug Tussel group of companies because of its commitment and innovation in the rural telecom markets,” said Todd C. Thiel, president of McKinley Reserve. “The Midwest is the last frontier in connecting people to wireless technologies.”
Steve Schneider, president of Bug Tussel Wireless, added, “Our short-term plans are to have more than 200 wireless sites and close to one-thousand miles of access to fiberoptic facilities by the end of 2007.”
Bug Tussel Wireless provides wholesale wireless service to large national carriers such as AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile. Bug Tussel will be adding to its services retail wireless, high-speed Internet and other telecom offerings in select rural markets.
Governor Thompson added, “McKinley Reserve and its family of companies bring together the resources and execution to create a world-class telecommunications company. Hilbert Communications is charting exponential growth over the next five to seven years, bringing quality telecom services to un-served and underserved rural markets. The new company will invigorate the local economy with many new jobs and provide long awaited wireless technology to the region.”
About McKinley Reserve
McKinley Reserve is a Hilbert, Wisconsin-based private equity firm with interests in a number of diverse worldwide business activities. Its affiliates, Capital Partners FZ, Buena Vista Equities, Prophecy and Divinity, have U.S. and international offices. The companies provide private investment in real estate, privately held companies and private investment partnerships to develop opportunities with potential for the greatest return at acceptable levels of risk.
About Bug Tussel Wireless, LLC
Bug Tussel is a Green Bay, Wisconsin-based wireless carrier serving rural Wisconsin. Bug Tussel has affiliates with spectrum in North Dakota, Minnesota and Michigan. Bug Tussel serves as a primary carrier to low-density, rural markets and as a service enhancer for large nationwide providers. Its affiliates include Spiralight Network, Intelegra, Michigan Wireless, Dakota Wireless, and JustKake Investments.