Leadership

Leigh Fox is the President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber, a networking and technology company (formally known as Cincinnati Bell) based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Fox has been CEO since May 2017. Prior to becoming CEO, Mr. Fox served as COO, CFO and has held various finance and operations positions since starting with the company in 2001.
 
Under Mr. Fox’s leadership, altafiber manages two distinct businesses: a network unit doing business under the brands altafiber and Hawaiian Telcom, and a technology services unit doing business under the brands CBTS and OnX Canada. With Gross Revenue and EBITDA of approximately $2.4 billion and $440 million respectively, the company continues to grow as it invests in fiber network deployment and enterprise business solutions. 
 
In September 2021, the company completed an 18-month take-private transaction with Macquarie Asset Management (MAM). The company has begun an aggressive fiber infrastructure expansion project that will include investing more than $1 billion into its fiber network to provide Fiber-to-the-Premises (“FTTP”) connectivity to 100 percent of all home and business addresses in its Greater Cincinnati and Hawaiian footprints and beyond.
 
A native of Cincinnati, Mr. Fox holds a bachelor's degree from Miami University and an MBA from the University of Cincinnati. He is Vice Chair (incoming chair October 2023) of the UC Foundation and a member of the UC Lindner School of Business Executive Cabinet. Mr. Fox is Chair of ArtsWave and is on the boards of the Anthony Munoz Foundation, Ohio Business Roundtable, US Telecom, and the Queen City Club.  Mr. Fox is also the immediate past chair of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Cincinnati Business Committee and President of the Commercial Club of Cincinnati. He is also an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 East Central award winner.
 
Mr. Fox was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has been married to his wife, Julia, since July of 2000. The couple has four children.

Josh Duckworth is Chief Financial Officer of altafiber. He reports directly to Leigh Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber. As CFO, Mr. Duckworth is responsible for altafiber's corporate accounting, finance, treasury and tax functions, as well as investor relations, supply chain management and sourcing functions.

Mr. Duckworth joined altafiber in August of 2010 as the Assistant Corporate Controller, and he has also served as the Assistant Treasurer. He most recently served as Vice President of Treasury, Corporate Finance and Investor Relations, where his responsibilities included investor relations, accounting, internal controls and financial reporting.

Prior to joining altafiber, Mr. Duckworth was a Senior Manager at Deloitte & Touche LLP. Mr. Duckworth earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University and is a certified public accountant.

Christi Cornette is Chief Administrative Officer of altafiber, and reports directly to Leigh Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber.
 
Ms. Cornette is responsible for altafiber’s corporate marketing, brand strategy, employee development, human resources, internal and external communications, community involvement, and events and sponsorships. She also oversees the corporate real estate organization.
 
Ms. Cornette brings more than 30 years of Marketing, Sales, and Technology experience to altafiber. She joined the company in 2001, and has held several executive roles, including Chief Culture Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing. She is an active mentor for females in the workplace and Ieads the company’s culture and diversity initiative, which includes supporting multiple Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

Ms. Cornette is active in the community. She serves as President of the Joel Cornette Foundation, which is funding research for the study of athletes and heart disease via The Hearts of Athletes program in partnership with the American Heart Association and Duke University. Ms. Cornette has a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.

Jason Praeter is President – Consumer & Small Business of altafiber, and reports directly to Leigh Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber. Mr. Praeter’s responsibilities include overseeing consumer and small business sales in Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Hawaii, and new markets.
 
Mr. Praeter joined altafiber in 2007 and focused primarily on selling fiber-to-the-home. Mr. Praeter most recently served as President & General Manager – Network, where he oversaw consumer and small business sales in Greater Cincinnati. Before that, Mr. Praeter served as Vice President of Consumer Sales, where he was responsible for leading the company’s market share and revenue growth for Consumer Markets.
 
Mr. Praeter is active in his community, and is on the Board of Trustees for the Dayton Development Coalition. He also sits on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Greg Wheeler is President – Business Markets of altafiber, and reports directly to Leigh Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber. Mr. Wheeler’s responsibilities include overseeing business practices and sales across all of altafiber’s operating territories; business market expansion; and product, customer care, and operations.
 
Mr. Wheeler most recently served as Senior Vice President of U.S. Sales & Global Programs for CBTS, a subsidiary of altafiber. Mr. Wheeler joined the company in 2002, and has held a number of leadership roles, including Vice President and Principal – Communications, and Senior Vice President of Sales for Small and Medium businesses.

Prior to joining altafiber, Mr. Wheeler held positions at Level 3 Communications in Denver, and CDW in Chicago. Mr. Wheeler is a Xavier University Executive Mentor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University, and an MBA from Xavier University.

Ron Beerman is Chief Network Officer of altafiber, and reports directly to Leigh Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber. Mr. Beerman is responsible for network technology and operations; the planning, engineering, and construction of altafiber’s fiber network; and security, safety, and sustainability initiatives throughout altafiber’s operating territories.
 
Mr. Beerman most recently served as Vice President – Network Operations. He has also served as Vice President of Wireline Operations, and held leadership positions within Information Technology, Call Center Operations, Network Operations, Managed Services, and Field Operations. Mr. Beerman joined the company as an intern in 1993.
 
Mr. Beerman holds a bachelor’s degree from Miami University and an MBA from Xavier University. Mr. Beerman serves on the Board of Directors for Camp Joy in Clarksville, Ohio, and has served as chair for several successful corporate fundraising campaigns. 

Mary E. Talbott is Chief Legal Officer of altafiber, and reports directly to Leigh Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber.

Ms. Talbott joined altafiber in September 2022 after previously holding a series of executive roles leading functions including legal, corporate governance, compliance, and product regulatory at several companies. Ms. Talbott has worked with global Fortune 500 public companies and private equity across the telecommunications, retail, entertainment/cable, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.

She earned her law degree from Chase College of Law and bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University.

Kevin Murray is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of altafiber, and reports directly to Leigh Fox, President and Chief Executive Officer of altafiber. Mr. Murray is responsible for Information Technology strategy planning, development, and operations for the company. He is also responsible for the company’s Enterprise Program Management office.
 
Mr. Murray joined altafiber in 2001. Prior to his current position, Mr. Murray served as SVP Network Operations and CIO. He has also served in technology leadership roles over teams that supported the organization’s network operations, financial systems, and wireless subsidiary. Before joining altafiber, Mr. Murray was a Manager with Accenture.
 
Mr. Murray holds a bachelor’s degree from Miami University. He is a member of the Greater Cincinnati CIO Roundtable, serves on the Advisory Board of the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center of Greater Cincinnati, and serves on the Corporate Advisory Committee of the Cincinnati Chapter of the BDPA.

Suzanne E. Maratta is the Vice President & Corporate Controller for altafiber. She reports directly to Chief Financial Officer Joshua Duckworth. Ms. Maratta serves as the Chief Accounting Officer responsible for the financial statements, general ledger, cost accounting, accounting research and management of the corporate accounting department. She most recently served as Assistant Corporate Controller before assuming her current role.

Ms. Maratta joined altafiber in May of 2014 as the Financial Reporting Senior Manager. Prior to joining altafiber, Ms. Maratta was a Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Maratta holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University, a master’s degree in accountancy from Wright State University, and is a certified public accountant. Ms. Maratta is an active member of the Finance Committee for Women Helping Women.

Su Shin is President and General Manager of Hawaiian Telcom and is responsible for the overall leadership and management of Hawaiian Telcom’s operations and corporate staff.
 
Ms. Shin previously served as Chief of Staff, providing strategic counsel to Hawaiian Telcom’s president and senior leadership team, and managing and directing key projects and initiatives.  Prior to that, Ms. Shin served as Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, responsible for all marketing execution and communications functions, including traditional/offline and online advertising, direct marketing, website management and development, social media, as well as strategic internal and external communications. 
 
Ms. Shin graduated from McKinley High School before receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of La Verne in California. Committed to giving back to the community, Ms. Shin currently serves on Aloha United Way’s Board of Directors, the McKinley High School Foundation, and the advisory council for the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Outreach College. She also serves as a member of the Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i’s Military Affairs Council, the Hawai‘i Business Roundtable, and Hawai‘i Green Growth’s Sustainability Business Forum.