Triangle celebrates 61st annual meeting of members

Special to the Havre Daily

Triangle Telephone Cooperative Association Inc., doing business as Triangle Communications, held its 61st annual meeting of members Oct. 18. 

More than 120 members, plus numerous guests, attended the meeting, held in the Student Union Building at Montana State University-Northern in Havre. Attendees were served a meal catered by Northern.

During the business portion of the meeting, Triangle Board President Tom Bangs stressed to members that Triangle is not just a telephone company, but a communications and data transport company. This is why Triangle is continually striving to provide increased bandwidth and the use of wireless technology to keep up with members' needs. 

Rick Stevens, Triangle's general manager, announced the Smart Rural Community Award that Triangle recently received from NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association. 

NTCA cited Triangle's advanced communications services and collaboration with local leaders as some of the keys to Triangle's success. Triangle was the only Montana company to receive the award

Stevens also discussed the decision to make all of Triangle's subscribers part of the cooperative in 2016. 

Also during the business meeting, Bangs was re-elected to represent District 3 and Richard Swartz of Broadview was elected to represent District 1 on the Triangle Board. 

Bangs will remain president of the board. Verlin Reichelt will serve as vice president and Rick Pokorny remains secretary-treasurer.

Members attending the meeting received a free outdoor thermometer and they were entered in door prize drawings that included 4-H beef and pork.  The grand prize winners of a Nexus 10 tablet were Robert and Una Moog.  Six children of members attending received $25 cash prizes awarded during a random drawing.

The winner of Triangle's annual photo contest was determined by balloting at the meeting. The $200 grand prize photo, titled "Little Ranchers," was taken by Kendra Hawkins of Hingham. 

Doreen Caquelin of Stanford and Jeannette Anderson of Chester tied for second place

Molly Jurenka of Hingham took the third-place photo, the fourth place photo was taken by Anne Davies and Deanna Gilmore of Zurich earned fifth place with her photo.

The winning photos can be viewed on Triangle's Facebook page, http://www.Facebook.com/TriangleCommunications and will be featured on the Keeping You Connected magazine covers in 2015.