GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026: Full Schedule

Welcome to the GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026 schedule. Use this page to browse sessions, view speaker and session details, and build your personal agenda for June 22–24 in Rogers, Arkansas. Check back through May as additional sessions and details are added.

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8:00am CDT

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:05am CDT

Grand Ballroom I–IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Speakers

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

Elon has spent his entire career in education IT, with seven years in K-12 and thirteen years in higher education as both a technical practitioner and in technology leadership roles. He believes there is no greater way to impact the future of Arkansas and the quality of where he lives... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:05am CDT
Grand Ballroom I–IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session

Company ARE-ON

8:05am CDT

Keynote: The State of Fiber and Building A.I. Infrastructure

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:05am - 8:45am CDT

Grand Ballroom I–IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

The United States is experiencing unprecedented investment in fiber infrastructure, with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment accelerating toward near-universal coverage of homes and businesses by the end of the decade. At the same time, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence is driving a new wave of demand for high-capacity fiber networks to connect data centers and support next-generation digital infrastructure. What do these converging investment cycles mean for the future of broadband, networks, and the broader technology ecosystem?

Speakers

Gary Bolton

President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association

Gary Bolton is President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), the largest industry association dedicated to advancing all-fiber-optic broadband networks. Prior to joining FBA, he held senior executive roles at both venture-backed technology startups and large publicly... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:05am - 8:45am CDT
Grand Ballroom I–IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Keynote