MONTGOMERY – The Montgomery Internet Exchange (MGMix) bolts forward with the announcement of the formation of the Technical Advisory Board.  This eleven member group will develop the technical concept, philosophies and advise on best practices for the MGMix to make it a major internet exchange in the southeast.

“The board brings together some of the best and brightest in the field, whose critical insights into what it takes to make other exchanges successful will be a boon for the future of the MGMix,” Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said. “Their expertise and experience is absolutely critical to unleashing the MGMix’s powerful capabilities, along with that of our community’s Smart City Strategy.”

The group includes representatives from Internet Service Providers and Content Providers who are members of the exchange, as well as local technology service providers and representatives from the City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, The State of Alabama and the RSA Data Center, where the MGMix is housed. Several members serve on the boards of other internet exchanges, bringing with them a vast knowledge of best practices in larger markets.

The complete board includes:

Lou Ialacci (Chairman), City of Montgomery/Montgomery County
Jason Asbury, President, Warren-Averett Technology Group
James Ashton, Network Architect, Wow, Inc.
Renee Borg, Technical Marketing Specialist, RSA Data Center
Michaela Clifford, Peering Coordinator, Wow, Inc.
Jake Cowen, General Manager/CFO, Troy Cable
Owen DeLong, Senior Network Architect, Akamai
Reid Fishler, Director, Hurricane Electric
Martin Hannigan, Independent Contractor
Marcus Holt, IT Manager, City of Montgomery
Ben Venable, Director of Network Engineering, State of Alabama

“We are thrilled to have this group of experts guiding the growth of the Montgomery Internet Exchange into the economic development powerhouse that we know it can be for the area,” said Carl Barranco, Montgomery’s Cyber Strategy Coordinator.

The Montgomery Internet Exchange increased its switch capacity to 100 Gb this summer and added several new members in the interim months including the City of Montgomery and Montgomery County, maintaining its status as one of the fastest growing new internet exchanges in the country. Created by a visionary collaboration among Montgomery County, the City of Montgomery, research universities, Maxwell Gunter Air Force Base and the new Cyber College of the Air Force, the MGMix holds the power to connect the entire region at lightning speed and stimulate deeply competitive operating costs.

For more information on the Montgomery Internet Exchange visit www.mgmix.net.   For more information on Montgomery’s Technology Resources visit www.techmgm.com.

CONTACT:
Griffith Waller
Office: 334-625-2726
gwaller@montgomeryal.gov

Meg Lewis
Office: 334-261-1104
Cell: 334-312-2007
mlewis@montgomerychamber.com

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