If you’re under 40 you may not remember what television was like before cable. The three major networks were ABC, NBC and CBS and you were lucky if you got all three channels. Now people can get hundreds of channels exclusively targeted toward specific genres. Who were some of the pioneers of this ever changing industry?

1. Greg Allshouse – Starting out as an installer, this guy has had quite a diversity of occupations in the cable industry since 1985. Now Greg’s holding the position of facilities manager at Comcast.
2. Bridget Baker – Bridget left Capitol Hill to join the cable industry in the mid-80’s. Starting out at The Fashion Channel, she now is president of TV Networks distribution for NBC Universal.
3. Rick Bechtel – When Rick started working for C-COR in 1979, he didn’t know anything about his new employer or the cable industry. He just wanted to live closer to his wife. He used his engineering background to move up through the industry and is now manager of commercial data solutions at Cable One.
4. Greg Bicket – Greg began his 30 year career in cable as a trainee with American Television and Cable and fell in love with the industry. Learning the business as he went, he’s now senior vice president and general manager of Cox Communications in New Orleans where he and all his employees survived hurricane Katrina.
5. Paul Braun – Starting at Berks Cable in Reading PA, Paul is now vice president of public affairs at Time Warner Cable’s National Division. He’s watched the industry grow from 12 channels to the multimedia giant it is today.
6. Keith Burkley – Just another installer in 1971, Keith didn’t have plans of making a career in the cable industry. Now he’s president of Time Warner Cable’s New England division he looks back on 31 years in the most exciting business to come his way.
7. Jim Carlson – Jim started his career in the cable industry in 1987 at the coaxing of a friend. He soon started his own communications company and now serves on several cable industry committees.
8. Joel Cohen – Working with the financial and administrative areas of the cable industry, Joel began his career at TelePrompTer Corp. in 1978. He found cable fascinating and considers himself honored to be thought of as a pioneer in the industry.
9. Dave Fellows – Dave is a true techno-geek of the cable industry and has gone from vacuum tubes to the microcomputer technology of today. Beginning at Scientific Atlanta, he’s now a senior executive at Comcast.
10. Steve Gautereaux – A part-time summer job in high school has evolved to vice president of Cox Communications 40+ years later for Steve. His roles at Cox have run the gamut and his departments have constructed over 6,000 miles of outside plant.

They all started their careers in a fledgling industry for various reasons, but soon were hooked by the phenomenal growth and potential the industry had to offer. With the help of their ingenuity and innovation cable television is a common household mainstay. Now if I can just find where I put the remote.