Mike Romano, who is currently executive vice president of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, will become the organization’s Chief Executive Officer on March 15.
Romano will replace retiring CEO Shirley Bloomfield. He has a broad portfolio as EVP including oversight of public policy, government affairs, and business development initiatives. He also oversees the Foundation for Rural Service, member engagement, information technology, and other operations.
Prior to joining NTCA in 2010, Romano was of counsel with Bingham McCutchen, LLP (now Morgan Lewis) and vice president and general counsel of GTT Communications. Prior to that he held a variety of positions with America Online and Level 3 Communications.
“Having worked for the past fifteen years for smaller broadband providers who are working to connect rural America, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the difference these operators make in driving innovation and lifting up consumers and communities,” Romano said in a press release.
“I am grateful for the trust that the NTCA board and the association’s membership have placed in me with this selection, and I look forward to helping them fulfill their mission of delivering connections that will benefit our entire nation for decades to come.”
In December, Romano and Bloomfield conducted a webinar — “Policy Talk: A Look Back on 2025” — which reviewed the previous year and looked ahead to 2026. The two said that a highlight of 2025 was the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Universal Service Fund.
Telecompetitor posted a series of exit interviews with Bloomfield last month. She said the broadband industry’s purpose remains constant despite its great technical changes. Bloomfield pointed specifically to artificial intelligence (AI) as a future asset. Once it is “normalized,” she said, it can be a boon for rural communities and service providers. Bloomfield also pointed to the need to establish a solid future for the Universal Service Fund and confront supply chain and workforce development issues.
