The N.C. Association for County Commissioners (NCACC) awarded Nate Denny, N.C. Department of Information Technology deputy secretary for Broadband and Digital Equity, its distinguished service award for his work to help counties prepare for and participate in the state’s high-speed internet infrastructure funding programs.
Denny and the NCDIT Division of Broadband and Digital Equity have increased opportunities for partnership with the association and established alignment with NCACC President Tracy Johnson’s Connecting Counties initiative, which led to the creation of the Connecting Counties Playbook. This comprehensive publication will help counties expand broadband access and plan for projects jointly funded by counties.
“Under Nate’s leadership, the broadband division has already awarded close to $350 million in grants to connect 144,000 households and businesses in 92 counties to affordable high-speed internet,” said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Jim Weaver. “The partnership between NCDIT and the N.C. Association of County Commissioners is crucial to ensuring that we can connect all North Carolinians in every county.”
The NCACC Distinguished Service Award is awarded by the NCACC board of directors to a non-county official who displays outstanding and distinctive service to improving local government above and beyond their usual duties or occupation. A full list of all awardees since 1970 is available at ncacc.org/about/awards-and-recognition/distinguished-service-award.