Honoring the Legacy of Max Huffman, INDATEL’s Founder and First Employee
It is with profound sadness that we learned of the passing of Max Huffman, the first Chief Operating Officer and one of three founders of INDATEL. Max’s leadership and vision were instrumental in creating INDATEL. His values and ideals are firmly imprinted within the organization, and his voice will be missed.
Max has always been a great connector of people and ideas. He operated with humility while building incredible companies that will continue to serve the industry for many generations.
“When we transitioned INDATEL to a for-profit entity and were looking to hire our leader, Max Huffman was the perfect choice. He had been involved in leading INDATEL since day one, was passionate about INDATEL and was well respected by membership,” said Scott Hoffmann, CEO of WIN Technology & INDATEL Board Secretary & Treasurer, who hired Max as INDATEL’s first COO.
In addition to serving as INDATEL’s first COO, Max was a founder of several state and regional network initiatives that have become cornerstones of rural broadband connectivity. He played a key role in creating the Missouri Network Alliance and Illinois Network Alliance – both now acquired by Bluebird Fiber – as well as the Kansas Fiber Network. These organizations, like INDATEL, reflect Max’s vision for serving rural communities with access to quality internet.
“Max was a groundbreaker and connector for our industry. We are blessed that he came out of retirement to lead INDATEL as its first official employee after his success within multiple statewide networks in the region. RasorNET and INDATEL as we know it today would not exist without his efforts and dedication,” said Mark Lundy, President of RasorNET & INDATEL Board President.
Max’s tenure at INDATEL marked the beginning of a legacy defined by collaboration, innovation, and commitment to rural America. His efforts not only set the trajectory for INDATEL’s growth but also built lasting partnerships that continue to serve our members and their communities today.
