NextGen Telecom Services Group was founded in 2004 by a team of industry veterans with more than 90 years of experience building and operating communications networks.
The company’s leadership team has managed construction projects encompassing tens of thousands of miles of fiber, coax and copper networks throughout the United States – both directly as a contractor and as executives at service providers managing large scale construction projects – giving them a unique perspective of their customers’ business challenges when building, upgrading or maintaining networks.
In fact, it was this experience that led the founders to recognize an opportunity for a new outsourced contracting company that delivers a comprehensive portfolio of engineering, construction and fiber optics services combined with an entirely new business philosophy that emphasizes the highest levels of quality, professionalism and customer service.
The company operates as a prime contractor, subcontractor, consultant or professional services partner and has helped customers in a wide range of industries, including: broadband service providers, carriers, electric utilities, system integrators, equipment vendors, municipalities, government agencies, military bases, educational institutions, healthcare providers and enterprises.
NextGen’s co-founders and key executives include:
- Russell Stephens, President and CEO
- Dennis Nolin, General Partner
- Dave Marcoux, Vice President of Construction Services
Russell Stephens, President and CEO
Russell Stephens is a co-founder, President and CEO of nextGen Telecom Services Group, Inc., where he is responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s business strategy, corporate finance and business development functions. With extensive and diverse experience, Russell brings nextGen clients the knowledge of building, operating and managing broadband networks from a variety of perspectives, including as a network operator, software vendor and investor in the broadband industry.
Prior to nextGen, Russell served as a co-founder, President and CEO of Stargus, Inc., a developer of network and service management software for broadband networks that was acquired by C-Cor Electronics (now part of ARRIS). In that capacity, he was responsible for the company’s strategy development, venture financing and business plan execution.
Russell joined Stargus from Pilot House Associates, LLC, where he was a principal and Stargus was a portfolio company. Pilot House is a Boston-based venture capital company that invests in promising, early-stage Internet infrastructure, software, cable, telecomunications and network technology companies.
Before joining Pilot House, Russell was the Senior Vice President of MediaOne’s Northeast Region where he was the senior operating executive responsible for the company’s cable properties in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. Earlier in his career, Russell held the positions of General Manager, District Manager and Vice President of Operations for Continental Cablevision as well as various operations management positions at American Television and Communications Company, a predecessor company to Time Warner Cable.
Dennis Nolin, General Partner
Dennis Nolin is a co-founder and general partner of nextGen Telecom Services Group, Inc., where he serves as a key advisor to the company. With more than 40 years of experience in the network construction industry, Dennis brings a wealth of expertise and best practices to projects for nextGen’s customers.
Prior to nextGen, Dennis co-founded and led White Mountain Cable Construction, which provided network construction services to the cable industry. Starting in 1979 and through to its acquisition by Arguss Communications in 1997 and then the subsequent acquisition of Arguss by Dycom Industries (NYSE: DY) in 2002, White Mountain Cable Construction built more than 30,000 miles of new build and rebuild network and placed more than 10,000 miles of optical fiber, including the associated splicing, testing and documentation.
Dennis began his career as a lineman with Continental Cablevision and US Cable working on a variety of new build projects in New England and the Midwest. In addition, over the course of his career Dennis founded, constructed and operated several rural cable television systems in New England. In 1980 he founded Pittsfield Cablevision serving Pittsfield, NH, and Epsom, NH, and in 1987 he founded Bethel and Western Maine Cablevision serving 10 small communities in Maine. All of those cable systems were ultimately acquired by other cable television operators.
Dave Marcoux, Vice President of Construction Services
Dave Marcoux is the Vice President of Construction Services for nextGen Telecom Services Group, Inc., where he is responsible for field operations, project estimating and customer relations.
Prior to nextGen, Dave most recently served as the Director of Construction for White Mountain Cable Construction. In that role he was responsible for the oversight and management of 25 supervisors, 80 in-house crews, and 30 subcontractors. Dave began his network construction career at White Mountain Cable Construction as a lineman and worked his way up as a foreman, supervisor, manager and eventually his role overseeing all of construction.
During his tenure at White Mountain Cable Construction, Dave was instrumental in the successful completion of projects encompassing more than 20,000 miles of cable plant rebuild, 3,000 miles of fiber optic placement, and plant extensions totaling in excess of 1,000 miles.