JOE YORK

PRESIDENT, AT&T FLORIDA AND SOUTHEASTERN STATES, JACKSONVILLE

AT&T serves more than 100 million Americans and employs tens of thousands across the Southeast and actively supports disaster response, education and economic development initiatives in Florida. York has led those regional efforts for 23 years. He also played a key leadership role in restructuring the regulatory environment for communications services and cable/video services in Florida, which have rapidly spread throughout the country. “The results of these policy changes led to an explosion in wireless technology, faster broadband services and significant competition in the video services market,” he says. “Greater competition led to better technologies being offered at cheaper prices for the consumers.”

EDUCATION: Auburn University (BS)

FIRST JOB: My first job was at Clark Cinemas Drive when I was 16 in Enterprise, Ala.

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER: College basketball coach

HOBBIES: It's challenging to find time for multiple hobbies with a busy career and kids at home, but I’m trying to make golf a hobby. I love hiking and skiing in the mountains whenever I get the chance. Playing golf brings me a lot of humility.

NONPRPOFIT PASSION: I love the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation in Jacksonville, founded by former NFL Coach Tom Coughlin. The Jay Fund helps families of children with serious health issues manage financial gaps as well as the chaos that comes with those challenges.

INDUSTRY TREND: We are very close to solving a big problem in our country, the digital divide. This issue arises when some people lack access to high-speed broadband connectivity, the tools to connect, or knowledge to navigate the internet safely and effectively. AT&T, in addition to being the largest fiber provider and 5G network, is investing billions of dollars in Connected Learning Centers throughout the country and providing thousands of laptops to underprivileged kids and families to address this problem.

SOMETHING SURPRISING
“I was the TV broadcast color commentator/analyst for Troy University Basketball.”