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By Tim Hermes

The broadband business is famous for its relationships. After all, many of the folks who made this industry great started their entire businesses on trust, a handshake and a promise to deliver on time and on budget.

But what happens when the people who have made this business great have no time to relax and enjoy each other's company?

That was my thought several years ago one Sunday afternoon while reviewing a hectic trade show calendar. As it happened, later that day I came across an article in the Washington Post on the Renaissance Weekend, the annual gathering of politicos and other leaders at Hilton Head, SC, that our ex-President frequented. And it got me thinking...

What if there were an event just for the elite broadband leaders, where there was no agenda, no meetings, no talks, no speeches to run to, no show floor to walk? Just a relaxed few days of networking and relaxation. More important, would anyone attend?

It turns out they would--and did. The Broadband Leaders Retreat became a reality.

Celebrating its second anniversary, the Retreat gave many of our industry's key players a chance to take a breath, visit with old friends, meet some new ones and enjoy the amenities of the Pointe Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix. CTOs and Engineering VPs from both the operator and vendor communities were on hand to soak in the sun, unwind at the spa and whack at a few golf balls, as well. (Congrats to two-time BLR tournament winner Alex Best!)

Especially exciting for me was the feedback we received on Communications Technology. It was satisfying to hear from the industry's leaders that we are on target with our content and that their engineering management teams keep back issues for reference for years. The suggestions, tips and ideas also were much appreciated.

Hmmm...sounds like a marketing slogan. "What the Leaders Read." I like that a lot.

Tim Hermes is assistant vice president and publisher of Access Intelligence's Broadband Group. He may be reached at .

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