Pioneer Telephone Cooperative General Manager Richard Ruhl was recently awarded the James L. Bass Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Telephone Cooperative Association.

Each year, a CEO or general manager within the telecom Industry is awarded this prestigious honor in recognition of exceptional leadership to support their customers and community members and to advance communications services in rural America.

NTCA renamed its lifetime achievement award to honor James L. Bass, one of the association’s earliest presidents and longtime general counsel, after his death in 2021 at age 98.

Ruhl was recognized for his professional experience and industry knowledge, as well as his over 45 years of service at Pioneer, including more than 27 years serving as general manager of one of the largest telecommunications cooperatives in the U.S. Winners were pre

Winners were presented during the 2022 Rural Telecom Industry Meeting and EXPO, held recently in Dallas.

“The winners exemplify the values of dedication, service and innovation in the work and in their communities to our industry,” NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield said.

As a third generation to receive this impressive award, Ruhl is preceded by his grandfather, State Sen. Roy Boecher in 1979 followed by his father Johnnie Ruhl in 1996, who both served as general manager during their tenure with the cooperative.

Ruhl will retire from Pioneer in September and will be succeeded as general manager by Blake Callaham, whose appointment was announced last month by Pioneer’s board of directors.