Hunter Newby, a 15-year veteran of the telecom networking industry, is the Founder and CEO of Allied Fiber. Mr. Newby possesses an extensive breadth of experience within the industry.

Prior to founding Allied Fiber, Mr. Newby was the Chief Strategy Officer and a Director of the Telx Group, Inc., one of the leading carrier hotel interconnection facility operators in the U.S. Telx was founded in 2000 to address the need for a neutral environment for colocation and interconnection for all network operators. Mr. Newby led the direction of the company into this new dimension of the communication networking industry that had previously never existed. Under Mr. Newby’s direction, Telx successfully created an entirely new business model and built one of the strongest brand names in the world for carrier-neutral, core interconnection facilities.

In addition to physical layer interconnection, Mr. Newby is a recognized authority on Internet and Ethernet exchanges and VoIP Peering.

Mr. Newby has been involved with various industry Councils and Associations including the Pacific Telecommunications Council (Vice Chairman of PTC Advisory Council), VON (Advisory Board Member) and the International Engineering Consortium. He has also written monthly columns and has been featured in numerous industry publications including Above Ground Level, Capacity, Data Center Dynamics Focus, Internet Telephony, Light Reading and Lightwave.
 
Mr. Newby received his Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Drexel University.

Mr. Cohen is a veteran communications industry executive with over 22 years of experience in developing and operating new fiber optic, bulk communications transport and technology businesses. His extensive experience includes designing and building multiple fiber optic network businesses including long-haul networks, regional networks, metropolitan area networks, trans-Atlantic networks, and backhaul networks for the wireless industry.

Mr. Cohen’s education and experience in electrical and optical engineering, business and finance, industrial management, as well as contract development and administration enable him to successfully organize and develop Allied Fiber’s entire management team. He has extensive experience in recruiting and developing senior and mid-level management organizations in the technology sector and implementing systems and controls necessary to build and operate a successful communications company.

In addition, his experience includes building fiber optic networks utilizing private and utility rights of way passing through multiple regions of the US. This experience is key because of Allied Fiber's unique relationship with its railroad partners, enabling Allied Fiber to build networks on the railroads' rights of way. In addition, Mr. Cohen has a history of designing and building custom networks for both international and domestic carriers, media companies, ISP’s, regional and long distance phone companies, financial institutions, and numerous data center operators.

Mr. Opelt is an experienced executive in the Telecommunications industry, managing, developing, constructing and maintaining long distance, dark fiber networks for over 15 years.  He has developed strategic client relationships with carriers, cable operators, colleges and universities, enterprise customers, state and municipal entities, railroads, and other dark fiber providers.  Mr. Opelt has had ownership in a construction company specializing in telecommunications infrastructure and in a competitive access provider offering dark and dim fiber.  

Mr. Opelt has facilitated operational relationships with states and municipalities to expedite the permitting process for new construction and to provide for long-term maintenance of fiber optic networks.  Mr. Opelt has negotiated fiber “swaps” with other dark fiber providers and negotiated and managed joint telecommunication construction projects with multiple parties.  In order to expedite the installation of fiber optic infrastructure in railroad right-of-way, he has developed relationships with several railroads, including the Norfolk Southern Railroad.  He has worked as a consultant with The Management Network Group (TMNG), a firm focused on the communications marketplace, and as an independent consultant involved with US-based telecommunication organizations.  Outside of the Telecommunications industry, Mr. Opelt has served as a consultant in the energy field and managed a wholly owned subsidiary for a natural gas distribution company.  He has an MBA in Finance and Marketing.