WISPA Thanks Patrick Haggerty for His Service Leading Nebraska’s SBO

Washington, DC, April 13, 2026 – WISPA thanks telecom veteran Patrick Haggerty for his service leading Nebraska’s inaugural State Broadband Office and for its groundbreaking work implementing BEAD for Nebraskans.

Over his tenure, Haggerty and his team navigated a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities, helping ensure that BEAD funding can reach Nebraska’s farms, schools, public health and safety institutions, small businesses, and rural communities.

Haggerty brought a collaborative and pragmatic approach, listening to stakeholders across the ecosystem and advancing a cost-effective program that utilized a full range of technologies—including fiber, LEO, and fixed wireless. He also emphasized targeted investment, helping to avoid unnecessary overbuilding while directing support to areas of greatest need. Haggerty’s leadership wisely weighed the strengths and weaknesses of all technologies available, choosing to emphasize fast, reliable, scalable solutions that will substantially shorten timelines for investments to reach many families that have been left behind for too long.

As a result, more Nebraskans living on the wrong side of the digital divide will gain access to reliable, high-quality connectivity.

WISPA wishes Patrick Haggerty well in his future endeavors. His dedication to expanding broadband access in Nebraska and across the nation will be missed.