Thank you very much.
I am very proud and pleased to accept this award on behalf of California State Parks and my colleagues. We have indeed been able to implement innovative and secure wireless solutions through the state park system. These low cost, last mile connections have brought the benefits of our enterprise network to hundreds of parks employees in remote locations throughout the state. Also, a wireless solution has been a lifesaver in many of our very large park units where copper or fiber optic connections within the park would have been prohibitively expensive to complete.
The task of bringing connectivity to our employees included a number of unique challenges. Spanning the huge expanses, isolation, and heat of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; networking one hundred and fifty year old buildings at Marshall Gold and Columbia State Historic Parks while protecting the structures’ historic integrity; transporting data across Millerton Lake in the Sierras and across San Francisco Bay to Angel Island; dodging dirt bikes at Prairie City Off Highway Vehicle Park and dodging amorous elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Reserve; all of these while working within the parameters of the state park budget are but a few of the tests we have confronted.
It really is very satisfying to work in these beautiful places at the same time by helping the State Parks accomplish its mission.
Again, on behalf of our team, thank you very much for this award!