Kirk Smith has been on the Board of Directors of Consolidated Telephone Company Board since 2017.
He has lived in the Outing area since 1982 and is the President and General Manager of Land O’Lakes Marine in Outing. Prior to that he was the Owner/Operator of Smith’s Country Store.
Smith is a Board Member for Shamineau Ministries in Motley and the Elder Board Chairman for Crosslake Evangelical Free Church. He retired with 30 years combined service in the EMS and Outing Volunteer Fire Department.
In his spare time, he enjoys fishing.
Kirk and his wife Dee have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
Amanda Lowe
Vice Chairperson – District Five
Amanda Lowe has been on the Board of Directors at Consolidated Telephone Company since September 2018.
Lowe comes to CTC with 15 years of telecom experience along with 15 years of owning businesses in the Aitkin area. She is also on the Aitkin City Council, the Aitkin Economic Development Committee, past President and Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Aitkin Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as various organizations within the Aitkin Public Schools.
She and her husband, Peter, live in Aitkin with their three kids.
Kathleen Kobliska
Treasurer – District One
Kathy has been on the Board of Directors at Consolidated Telephone Company since 1998 and has held the positions of Treasurer from 2003-2010 and 2014-2016, Vice Chairperson from 2013-2014 and currently serves as Treasurer.
Ms. Kobliska has lived in the Lincoln area her entire life and for the past 34 years has owned and operated Kathy’s Kut & Kurl of Lincoln. She is also a member of the Faith Lutheran Church in Staples and the Lincoln Area Business Association in addition to being an election judge for Fawn Lake Township in Todd County for the past six years. She and her husband Steve enjoy ice fishing, deer hunting, traveling, and camping in their spare time.
Kathy and her husband, Steve, have two sons and three grandchildren.
Chad Converse
Secretary – District Four
Chad Converse has been on the Board of Directors at Consolidated Telephone Company since 2013.
He grew up in the Outing area and graduated from Remer High School and the University of Minnesota with a BS degree in Forest Management. He is married and has two grown sons and daughter-in-laws and two grandsons.
Chad has served on and been a member of numerous organizations including a supervisor for May Township, the Pillager Area Fire Protection Association, MN Forestry Association, Central MN Small Woodland Owners Association, Society of American Foresters, the MN Association of Consulting Foresters, and Faith Lutheran Church in Staples. He served for 6 years in the AK Army National Guard where he was Staff Sergeant
Chad worked for the USDA Forest Service for 34 years prior to retiring and becoming a self-employed consulting forester and farmer. He has owned his farm in the rural Motley area since 1971. In his spare time he enjoys outdoor activities, raising horses, and square dancing.
Morris Nelson
Director – District One
Morris has been on the Board of Directors at Consolidated Telephone Company since 2004 and has held the position of Treasurer from 2010-2014, as Vice Chairperson from 2014-2016, and as Chairperson from 2017-2018.
In addition to the CTC Board of Directors, Morris has been the Treasurer of Darling Lutheran Cemetery Association since 1992 and a member of the Masonic Lodge and Bethel Lutheran Church in Little Falls.
Mr. Nelson is retired and has lived in the Randall area his entire life. He worked for Minnesota Power for 21 years and in road construction for 20 years prior to that.
Morris’ interests include motorcycling and working with steam equipment.
Heather Hoskins
Director – District Two
She is an 18-year employee of a large local business where she acts as the liaison for their third-party technology vendors. She is married to Luke, who actively serves in the MN Army National Guard. In addition to their full-time jobs, they also operate a small beef farm.
Heather is currently a volunteer for the MN High School Rodeo Association – Region 1, serving as treasurer and taking on various tasks involved with hosting rodeos sponsored by the region. She is also a member of Holy Cross Church in Harding.
Heather and Luke have two children.
Mike Wetzel
Director – District Four
Mike has been on the Board of Directors at Consolidated Telephone Company since 2004.
Mr. Wetzel is retired after owning and operating Wetzel’s Auto Service Center, where he worked for over 50 years. He is also retired from the Cass County Planning Commission and Cass County Board of Adjustment after serving for 20 years. His interests include cars, being around the water, traveling, camping, and woodworking.
Mike and his wife Kathy have eight children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Leland “Butch” Segler
Director – District Two
Leland has served on the Board of Directors at Consolidated Telephone Company before. When asked why he is interested in continuing to be on the Board of Directors, he replied “I see CTC is growing and doing great things in the community. I would like to be part of the group that makes good decisions for the industry.”
Leland is on the Bethel Cemetery Board of Directors, the Farm Bureau Board of Directors as well as the Church Council Board of Operations. Although Leland is retired, he continues to run his tire shop which he’s owned for 50+ years.
Mr. Segler has lived most of his life in the Nokay Lake area with his wife Rose Mary. Leland has 2 grown children and 10 grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family and volunteers for the Sharing Bread Soup Kitchen, for his church and other organizations he supports.
CTC Officers
Kristi Westbrock
CEO/GM
