Category: Press Releases

eNCore names board of directors and leadership

Posted on by Will Gaul

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK and AHOSKIE, N.C. (March 11, 2025) – eNCore, a new organization formed by Fybe, MCNC and Roanoke Cooperative to improve the technology, economic and social landscape of North Carolina, today announced the leaders who will be spearheading these efforts to bridge the digital divide in overlooked, unserved and underserved communities in the state.

The first eNCore Board of Directors includes: Tracy Doaks, president and CEO of MCNC; Sarah Taylor, chief financial officer at MCNC; Heather Kinder, vice president of accounting and finance at Roanoke Cooperative; Jeff Sural, owner of Sural Consulting, LLC; and Robert “Bo” Coughlin, chief operating officer at Fybe.

Coughlin also has been named the first president of eNCore. eNCore’s operations also will be a collaboration with FYBE, MCNC and Roanoke Cooperative.

Sarah Taylor has been appointed treasurer. Kent Melum, Fybe’s finance and strategy manager, will serve as chief accounting officer. Phil Emer, vice president of business development at MCNC, will take a similar role at eNCore serving as chief business development officer. And James Nester, chief marketing officer and senior director of client advocacy at MCNC, will be eNCore’s chief marketing officer.

“The creation of eNCore is a testament to the power of collaboration and the brilliance of this team,” said eNCore President Bo Coughlin. “Everyone involved understands how connectivity and innovation drive job creation and economic development in North Carolina. This is an exciting venture, and I’m looking forward to working together to do something right and something good in the communities that need our help the most.”

North Carolina is poised to become a national leader, ranking in the top five states for high-speed internet adoption. As North Carolinians in every corner of the state can access, afford and use high speed internet, they also can take advantage of career, education and health care resources. The transformative power of broadband can change the lives of so many in North Carolina, and eNCore with its member organizations will provide essential high-speed infrastructure and technology services to ensure no community gets left behind.

eNCore to bridge North Carolina’s digital divide

Posted on by Will Gaul

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK and AHOSKIE, N.C. (Feb. 27, 2025) – MCNC, one of the nation’s largest and oldest research and education networks, and Fybe, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roanoke Cooperative, today announced the creation of eNCore. This new non-profit collaboration is tasked with bridging the digital divide for residential and business communities throughout rural North Carolina – providing next-generation connectivity and high-speed access to all the modern resources needed to participate in today’s digital economy.

Bo Coughlin, chief operating officer for Fybe, explained that the transformative power of broadband can change the lives of so many in North Carolina, but eNCore’s approach is more than just the technology. “eNCore goes beyond connecting communities – it connects dreams, aspirations and limitless possibilities for a more connected North Carolina,” Coughlin said. “North Carolina’s broadband challenges require bold strategies. eNCore was formed as a shared call to action to remedy the technological inequities that keep so many in North Carolina from reaching their full potential. This innovative approach to addressing those inequities is where eNCore provides a key differentiator.”  

Tracy Doaks, president and CEO of MCNC, reiterated that addressing digitally distressed areas in North Carolina is an economic and social priority. “As a nonprofit, eNCore and its member organizations will provide essential broadband infrastructure and services to empower businesses and individuals to ensure no community gets left behind,” Doaks added. “Community-driven, scalable models like eNCore that encourages participation from all levels will drive the economy in our state to new heights.”

Marshall Cherry, chief executive officer of Roanoke Cooperative, articulated that the ongoing initiatives at eNCore are not only generational but also historic in nature. “Although eNCore is in its nascent stages, its overarching vision is comprehensive and is poised to serve as a pivotal contributor to economic development in numerous rural and underserved communities throughout North Carolina, both this year and in the years to come,” Cherry said. “This represents a particularly exhilarating period for our state!”