Project Mutual Telephone

About Us

Mission Statement

As a customer owned company, we provide for the interactive communication needs of the market. We focus on service, products and technology that provide quality solutions for the communication needs of our customers. We utilize a committed, well trained, and dedicated workforce that shares a personal and active relationship with our customers and community.

A Brief History

Project Mutual Telephone Company has provided continuous telephone service in the Mini-Cassia area since 1916. When PMT was organized with 34 telephone customers, it based its future on providing quality service to its members. In 1956, PMT installed its first local direct dial telephone system. The system served approximately 1,700 customers and was state-of-the-art technology for the time. In 1962 direct dial long distance was added. PMT is one of the first companies west of the Mississippi to offer all one party phone lines. The 70’s and 80’s produced continued growth for PMT, the information age was in full swing and again PMT responded by adding updated technologies; the first digital central office in Idaho, fiber optic cable and expanded features were added for continued member satisfaction. By the end of 1983, all of PMT’s systems were interconnected through a completely digital network.

In the late 90’s, service was expanded into Burley, Oakley and Heyburn. Today, PMT is a full service communication company, providing local and long distance telephone service, dial up, high speed DSL and wireless internet as well as cable television and IPTV. In 2004, PMT expanded its network into Twin Falls, and now serves several anchor businesses in the area and several residential customers on the canyon rim. PMT proudly added Syringa Wireless as a cellular partner in 2006.

Today PMT serves over 12,000 members throughout the Magic Valley and employs 75 full-time employees

Board of Directors

You are represented by five directors who are elected at large by the members. Each director serves a three-year term, and may be re-elected. The terms are staggered so that each year members elect one or two directors. Each director is responsible for understanding the complex telecommunications industry in order to provide effective guidance for the company. This is especially important in this time of rapid change in technology and regulation.

The directors represent the interests of the members by overseeing the operation and by monitoring the financial condition of the cooperative. The Board of Directors meets monthly at a time and place selected by the board.

Charlie Creason
President/CEO

Pat Merrigan
Chairman

Dennis Dickson
Secretary

Dan Lloyd

Alan Johnson

Ron Clawson

Executive Management Team

The management team, through strategic planning, establishes future priorities and initiatives of the cooperative. They monitor the budget, control expenses and maintain profitability as budgeted. Each member of the management team measures and maintains a high level of customer satisfaction through employee education, training and development.

Charlie Creason
President/CEO

Mr. Creason is President and General Manager of Project Mutual Telephone, a position he has held since 1992. He is also President of Syringa Networks, LLC, a new network consortium building broadband capabilities across southern Idaho.

Mr. Creason holds a B.S. in Business and a J.D. in Law from the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. He was a practicing attorney for 14 years prior to joining Project Mutual Telephone. He was twice elected as Prosecuting Attorney for Minidoka County, serving for eight years. He was General Counsel for Project Mutual for 12 years.

Mr. Creason serves on the board of Telcom Insurance Group and the Advisory Council of the Idaho Small Business Development Center. He lives just outside of Rupert and is active in many community activities.

Craig Gates
Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Gates has 25 years of telecommunication experience. Mr. Gates came to PMT in 2006 as VP/Director of Network Technology. As VP/Director of Network Technology, Mr. Gates was responsible for Engineering, IT and Network Operations. During 2007, he assumed the additional responsibilities for Business Sales, Marketing, Outside Plant Operations, Advanced Services, and Dispatch. In 2008, Mr. Gates was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Gates is a member of the Board of Directors for the PMT Foundation and is involved in various community activities.

Previous to 2006 Mr. Gates was at Verizon and former GTE for 17 years. While at Verizon/GTE he held several progressive positions, his last was as Manager of Network Engineering and Planning in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Mr. Gates' education includes a B.S. degree from IIT and an MBA from IWU.