For the past five years, Kristin Jackson has brought energy, humor, and sharp financial acumen to her work at United Communications. A graduate of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Kristin received her master’s in accounting from Auburn, and originally worked for an accounting firm that worked in the telecommunications and electrical power industries, among others.
After moving to Tennessee, Kristin joined United Communications as their finance manager and was eventually promoted to CFO. She’s soared in this position, winning recognition from her peers and the community as she’s helped United grow strategically in the region. We sat down with Kristin to learn more about her role as CFO, her passion for Rutherford County, and what she loves about working for United Communications.
Supporting United Communications During Rapid Growth
Since 2016, Kristin has watched United transform from a more traditional telecommunications company serving Middle Tennessee into a “really competitive fiber internet provider to be reckoned with in this market.” As United has grown in size and scope, Kristin has been highly involved in strategically gathering and deploying capital to support United’s growth.
Kristin says, “I think the most important piece of my role here and where I need to spend the most focus is making sure we have access to the capital we need to execute on our plan. For the foreseeable future, it’s all about how we obtain that capital and ensuring that there are no financial constraints that would keep us from meeting our goals. I’m also involved with acquisitions, and I think that will also be a key to our success, especially as it involves a lot of regulatory and financial compliance.”
Honored By Her Peers
In 2021, Kristin was awarded CFO Of The Year by the Nashville Business Journal, winning the top honor in a group of 22 nominees. She reports that her kids (7, 6, and 3) aren’t so impressed with the prestigious award. Instead, they’re a little more interested in the yearly fireworks show United sponsors in Nolensville. Kristin’s favorite part about service as United’s CFO is that “she gets to be a part of everything.” She continued, “What I really love about my role is that since most decisions are driven by the budget, I get to understand everyone’s operational plans and see how it all works together. That’s really rewarding for me. I don’t just see pieces of it, I get to see the entire picture.” Her long range vision and interest in all sectors of United certainly contributes to her success as CFO.
Helping United Communications Foster a Warm, Inclusive Working Culture
Kristin has enjoyed being an active part of the stellar work culture at United Communications. She makes it a point to know her employees, their professional and personal interests, and the names of their family members. She supports initiatives that help United maintain a “small-company, family-style culture” even as it grows.
She explains that United Communications “has a really unique culture, not only for a telecom business but for any business of our size. We are still so family-oriented, and to me, that means we really care about each other and treat each other like a family. We’re invested in each other’s success. I want to see everyone on the team succeed just as much as I want to see United succeed as a whole.” Kristin went on to say that United Communications has “a good balance of employees being driven and excited to grow the business, but also caring about the personal lives of the people that work for us, too.”
Committed to Extending Fiber Internet Access Through Project UNITE
Kristin calls the grants program of Project UNITE “her baby,” and it’s clear that she’s taken personal ownership of the project. Kristin enjoys taking on the responsibility as the point person for submitting the grant applications and making sure all the information is gathered to apply.
By finding and applying for grant-based funding, Kristin helped United raise 14.8 million in funds in 2020. The funding is used to build out rural internet access in underserved regions. As Kristin puts it, “It’s been one of my biggest successes, enrolling people in Project UNITE and bringing these grant opportunities to United so that we can better support our underserved members.”
United Communications is proud of the warmth, skill, and success of Kristin. We love supporting the careers of our talented and dedicated team members who have so much to offer.