Simply put from my perspective, in order to understand, appreciate, and show respect, it must start from within. Respect of others becomes possible, and much more meaningful, when we truly respect ourselves.

As we live our days that we often unconsciously fill it with anything and everything except time for ourselves; the “act of giving particular attention” or having “high or special regard” is seldom directed to ourselves.

To truly respect ourselves takes a great deal of work. We must first make the time to realize the necessity for it. Then we can take the next step to hold ourselves accountable to our values and beliefs. We must also be willing to listen, discern and accept change.
The most difficult step in this is to then act upon it; to make it happen with no second thought or regret of our decision

I believe this is when we truly earn respect for ourselves and why we are then inspired to show respect for others. Because we took time to realize its importance and then had the power to belief enough to act upon it.

We often give respect to someone who performed an unselfish act, for something we aspire to be, or for something that happened we would never wish upon ourselves or others. Over the last two years I have worked hard at all the above and I continue to do so daily, I respect myself today and I aspire to continue to work at this until my last breath.

This month we show our appreciation to Richard Palmer, as the focus of our Rio Family Matters section. To him I also show my respect and honor. Rich has spent his life in the Telecom industry, after retiring from US West (Qwest, now Century Link) I assume like many he realized his passion and dedication to his career. This inspired him to go back to work as a contractor and shortly thereafter he became an employee at Rio Networks.

During his employment at Rio, his wife was diagnosed with cancer, even more shocking she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. When this happened, naturally Rich gave his notice to Rio and his fellow employees, and devoted his every moment to his wife on her last days with him and her loved ones. Later Rich and his wife found out that the terminal cancer was misdiagnosed. Currently, Rich’s wife lives with cancer and our love goes out to them in hopes that she overcomes this serious illness as they live to enjoy many more years together with their love ones and friends.

My respect goes out to Rich and his family for what they have been through and their strength they have shown us all. Even more so, I respect Rich for the decision he has recently made to permanently retire and spend the rest of his life with his wife, and those most important to him.

Rich, you have left a permanent positive impression on all of us at Rio Networks and we respect and honor your desire to live life fully devoted to your wife and family, you are a wonderful and blessed Man.

(If you did not receive a copy of our Newsletter this month and would like to, please contact our Customer Relations Specialist, Jessie Burdick at
jessie.b@rionetworks.com and she will make sure you get a copy and are added to our mailing list.)

I would like to consider myself as somebody who is integrous, however over the last several years I have taken this to a whole new level. Instead of looking at this from outside in, I have recently determined that to truly understand and live an integrous life, you must look from the inside out.

To consider the way others may feel about your integrity does not make one whole but to truly be whole inside because you have integrity frees the soul.

Most of us are fortunate enough to have the key ingredients of integrity; ethical principles, morals and honesty, but as I looked deeper into myself I realized I did not exercise them every time all the time. As I continue to truly practice this “all the time, every time” commitment I have made to myself I realize that I have room for improvement, further that it is a daunting commitment. The reward is bountiful, as a result, I am whole, entire, grateful, undiminished and at peace with myself, more importantly with God.

Last month we recognized Scott Warren, this month we recognize Resha Cason, together we have made this “all the time every time” Integrity commitment to ourselves and going forward we hold each other accountable to this commitment. Like Scott, Resha is the salt of the earth, she lives far beyond herself, she has also rightfully earned the name “Mother Rio” and she is an “Incredible Mother”. I can count my true friends on my 10 fingers with room to spare and I am honored to have Resha Cason as one of them. True friends fall together and rise together, unfortunately we all fall from time to time, fortunately we have true friends that can pick each other up and rise together as well.

Resha is our Director of Customer service, though we have numerous daily wins at Rio Resha is not always notified of them, as a result she does not always get the chance to smell the Roses. On rare occasions we fall short of providing our customers with the superior level of customer service we set out to deliver, you can be assured if this is the case Resha will be involved. As humans it is not always easy to let go of the times we did not meet the high expectations we set for ourselves.

This month I would like you all to join me in acknowledging Resha Cason for beautiful person she is and the thoughtful things she does for her fellow employees and our 4,000 plus business and residential customers her and her team strives to provide superior customer service to.

(If you did not receive a copy of our Newsletter this month and would like to, please contact our Customer Relations Specialist, Jessie Burdick at
jessie.b@rionetworks.com and she will make sure you get a copy and are added to our mailing list.)

Many people do not understand the job requirements of a Telecom professional. To be truly successful in this industry one must live, eat, and breathe Telecom. Dedication is the word that best describes the work ethic of the people here at Rio Networks.

This month’s Rio Family Matters is focused on Scott Warren, and dedicated is – without a doubt – a great way to describe him. Since my arrival at Rio in May of 2007, there has not been a single day that Scott has failed to show his “self-sacrificing devotion and wholehearted fidelity” to our company, his fellow employees, and to our customers.

I would best compare Scott’s career to an ER doctor. Think about it…if your business or residence is without a telephone or internet service, it can feel like a life and death situation. 24×7 – 365 days out of the year, Scott insures that our customers have telephone and internet service – never looking for praise.

Great employees are a diamond in the rough and what makes Scott great comes from his upbringing, life experiences, choice to do the right thing and follow through on his values. He is a meat and potatoes guy; the salt of the earth. His motto says it best- “LET’S GET ER DONE!” I consider myself fortunate to also address Scott as a friend.

This month if you are one of those that had time to review our newsletter, please take a moment to do something out of the ordinary, give Scott a pat on the back for a job well done.

Thank you Scott, and all of the folks out there who are dedicated to their career. Without you, great companies like Rio Networks could not exist.

(If you did not receive a copy of our Newsletter this month and would like to, please contact our Customer Relations Specialist, Jessie Burdick at
jessie.b@rionetworks.com and she will make sure you get a copy and are added to our mailing list.)

Last week I was driving to a rural location and the GPS on my cellular telephone was effortlessly guiding us there. My 8 year old son sitting in the passenger seat thought nothing of it; he knew nothing of the days without GPS.

I told him that when he was born, GPS was not something everyone had access to; then pulled a paper map out of the glove box and showed him how it used to be done.

I shared that not long ago we would have had to use the map prior to taking the drive; we would write the route to our destination on a piece of paper and off we went. The second option was to let Mom do the navigation, but I explained to him that she never seemed to use the same “pleasant voice” that the GPS did, especially on the long trips.

Looking at the paper map, he was amazed that we could figure out where to go by looking at all the little squiggly lines, let alone where to even begin.

Used in the right way, technology saves time, it makes us more efficient, and in most cases it even saves us money. In the case of having my wife give directions, it can even create peace where there may have not been without it. Simply put, as every year passes technology allows us to do more with less. Who knows, it could even allow an employee to succeed in a position that they may not have without it?

We would also like to take the time to introduce you to Mac Kay, he is a Business Sales Consultant for Rio Networks. He helps Southern Oregon customers find innovative solutions to meet their communications needs using Rio’s cutting edge products, such as our Hosted Business Voice Services.

Our Hosted business telephone system provides your business with the latest voice technology our industry has to offer. The exciting news is that in order for your business to start using it the initial capital investment is low; and in some cases there is absolutely no upfront costs. Mac and Jessie have put together an article for you to learn more about our new product and the significant benefits it provides; I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. We also have a firsthand customer testimonial describing their experience with a Rio hosted business telephone system implementation.

Rio Networks delivers products that help your business succeed while increasing your employees’ morale. Rio Networks is proud to provide next generation products and award winning local customer service to our current customers, and we are excited to have the opportunity to share that with our future customers.

We all wish you a fulfilling and extremely successful 2013.

(If you did not receive a copy of our Newsletter this month and would like to, please contact our Customer Relations Specialist, Jessie Burdick at
jessie.b@rionetworks.com and she will make sure you get a copy and are added to our mailing list.)

Our focus on the business community across the state has led to an industry leading 96% customer satisfaction score-and we deliver the same outstanding level of service to non-profits, government, and small to large businesses.

In the News Letter, we are also acknowledging a single employee each month, and we decided to start with Jessie Burdick. To learn more about each employee mention each month, simply click their name.

We realize that it is the opinion of you, our customers, that matters most and we want to hear from you! Please visit our Feedback page at http://rionetworks.com/i-want-to/leave-feedback/ and give us your thoughts about your experience with Rio Networks.

Our Hosted business telephone system provides your business with the latest voice technology our industry has to offer. The exciting news is that in order for your business to start using it the initial capital investment is low; and in some cases there is absolutely no upfront costs. Mac and Jessie have put together an article for you to learn more about our new product and the significant benefits it provides; I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. We also have a firsthand customer testimonial describing their experience with a Rio hosted business telephone system implementation.

Rio Networks delivers products that help your business succeed while increasing your employees’ morale. Rio Networks is proud to provide next generation products and award winning local customer service to our current customers, and we are excited to have the opportunity to share that with our future customers.

We all wish you a fulfilling and extremely successful 2013.

(If you did not receive a copy of our Newsletter this month and would like to, please contact our Customer Relations Specialist, Jessie Burdick at
jessie.b@rionetworks.com and she will make sure you get a copy and are added to our mailing list.)

Our Newsletter, we are highlighting a new product that will help your business do more with less. We will also be highlighting the employees who make Rio Networks possible.

We all wish you a fulfilling and extremely successful 2013.

If you want to receive a copy of our Newsletter each month via email, please contact our Customer Relations Specialist, Jessie Burdick at jessie.b@rionetworks.com

“Our church office is the communications center for information to people of many walks of life and Rio Networks has worked hard to get us updated technologically at an affordable cost, and continues to offer us assistance in helping us utilize our phone system to its fullest capacity,” said Katie Carpenter, office manager with First United Methodist Church. “After installation, as we discovered our individual and special needs, we had great help with Rio’s knowledgeable technicians and customer service, both in person and over the phone, to get the system working the best for what we needed.”

According to Carpenter, the service-oriented church focuses on outreach for people who are looking for various kinds of help and church participants looking for the next opportunity to serve. The organization has few staff and many volunteers who are the backbone of the ministries that happen in the building and out in the community.

“We believe the experience of First United Method Church is a testament to the hardworking technicians and customer support staff who deliver outstanding results every year,” said Mark Bilton-Smith, president of Rio Networks. “Our focus on the business community across the state has led to an industry leading 96 percent customer satisfaction score—and we deliver these same results to non-profits, government and small to large businesses. From SIP trunking to enhanced VOIP network services, our state of the art data center allows us to back up our customer service promise with a reliable network and affordable terms.”

“Since the small staff is often overworked, the speed of the internet service is providing more options, enabling us to upgrade our website and make efficient use of the Internet and software,” Carpenter said. “With constantly changing technology a reality in our time, it is also reassuring to know that we have an ongoing relationship with Rio Networks and have the customer support when we need it.”

About Rio Networks

Rio Networks is an Oregon owned and operated provider of leading edge business communication and cloud services including phone, email, data, Internet, and colocation. Coverage areas include Portland, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Woodburn, Salem, Albany, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Redmond, Bend, La Pine, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Ashland and more. Rio Networks services the business communities of Oregon with an industry leading 96 percent customer satisfaction score. Rio Networks is wholly owned by the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Tribe, based in Roseburg, Ore. Contact Rio Networks to learn how your business can benefit from a next generation network and cloud based technologies. You can find Rio Networks online at www.rionetworks.com or call 877-700-4746.

“We have a transport ring that allows us to route calls through Rio to three of our sites,” said John Stadter, managing partner of First Call Resolution. “We use Rio’s SIP lines for our VOIP phone system and have a direct link between our offices.”

With 1000 employees and four offices, First Call Resolution needed an easy way to communicate between offices and to handle the demands of its customers. “We handle outsourced call center services for a variety of businesses including gaming, insurance, telecommunications, Internet services and financial services so we rely on the data and network services from Rio,” said Stadter.

“First Call Resolution is an excellent example of a customer who benefits from the quality of service of our high-speed network,” said Mark Bilton-Smith, president of Rio Networks. “From SIP trunking to enhanced VOIP services, John’s company depends on us to deliver communication solutions that help them provide exceptional customer service to their own clients.”

“There is a good relationship between our companies,” said Stadter. “Their responsiveness to our needs is a key feature that sets Rio apart. We remain happy,” he added.

About First Call Resolution

Headquartered in Roseburg, Ore., First Call Resolution provides a wide range of boutique, domestic-based call center, business process and social networking outsourcing solutions to most industries. Supporting more than 50 clients with nearly 1000 employees, FCR maintains four contact centers across southern Oregon. First Call Resolution is building a new class of high-quality, domestic-based contact center and business process outsourcing solutions, and our mission is to be the most respected outsourcing provider in the industry. To learn more, visit us at www.1callres.com or contact us at 541-957-8654.

About Rio Networks

Rio Networks is an Oregon owned and operated provider of leading edge business communication and cloud services including phone, email, data, Internet, and colocation. Coverage areas include Portland, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Woodburn, Salem, Albany, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Redmond, Bend, La Pine, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Ashland and more. Rio Networks services the business communities of Oregon with an industry leading 96 percent customer satisfaction score. Rio Networks is wholly owned by the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Tribe, based in Roseburg, Ore. Contact Rio Networks to learn how your business can benefit from a next generation network and cloud based technologies. You can find Rio Networks online at www.rionetworks.com or call 877-700-4746.

“As a government agency, there is little to no room for errors or downtime with our communications,” said Brandon Sunitsch, information technology director. “With the DSL circuit, we are able to offer courtesy Internet in many of the buildings throughout the community through WiFi.”

Deschutes County is also an economic and political hub centered in Bend, Ore., the county seat, and currently uses four high-speed primary rate interface (PRI) circuits, with over a 1000 direct-dial numbers and a lightning fast digital subscriber line (DSL) circuit provided by Rio Networks.

“Rio has always gone above and beyond for Deschutes County for more than five years,” said Sunitsch. “Rio is very good about always scheduling their maintenance at a time when there will be either minimal or no affect on our services to the community. There is a very good support group at all levels from sales to tech support.”

“We are pleased that we are able to provide this mission critical service to Deschutes County and that they can rely on us for 99.99 percent uptime,” said Mark Bilton-Smith, president of Rio Networks. “We’re fortunate to own Oregon’s newest and most reliable network and this technology enables us to offer reliability and services to match and exceed our competitors. In fact, whether it be a mission critical service or a two-person start-up business, we guarantee superior services that are price competitive and always delivered and supported with our ‘over the top’ culture,” he added.
“Rio’s customer service with us has been over the top,” added Sunitsch. “If there is an issue that comes about with any of our services with them, they waste no time in resolving it. We are always able to get ahold of a live body in a very timely manner if not on the original call. There have also been instances where they have even helped us out with issues on services from other vendors before they started selling the services directly. “

About Rio Networks
Rio Networks is an Oregon owned and operated provider of leading edge business communication and cloud services including phone, email, data, Internet, and colocation. Coverage areas include Portland, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Woodburn, Salem, Albany, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Redmond, Bend, La Pine, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Ashland and more. Rio Networks services the business communities of Oregon with an industry leading 96 percent customer satisfaction score. Rio Networks is wholly owned by the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Tribe, based in Roseburg, Ore. Contact Rio Networks to learn how your business can benefit from a next generation network and cloud based technologies. You can find Rio Networks online at www.rionetworks.com or call 877-700-4746.

“When we bought this company about ten years ago, we implemented the first PBX and have always used Rio for fast Internet,” said Debbie Johnson, director of human resources for PREMG. “ We use Rio’s SIP lines for our phone system and have a direct link between our offices in Portland and Seattle.”

With 88 employees and offices in Portland and Seattle, the company needed an easy way to communicate and transfer customers between offices. “We can always communicate easily through the system, transfer calls seamlessly and don’t need to be in the same building,” said Johnson. “Transferring and communicating is easy with a simple extension number. “

According to Mark Bilton-Smith, president of Rio Networks, “PREMG has been a customer of Rio Networks for ten years. As PREMG’s business has expanded, they’ve had many communication needs and Rio has met those needs every time. It’s extremely rewarding for us to have long time customers like PREMG, where we’ve repeatedly delivered communication solutions that give our customers a competitive advantage.”

“We have contingency plans and constant communication is very important for our business,” said Johnson. “The reliability of always-on phone service through digital service is vital to our business. Rio has very good customer service and there is a very short down time when maintenance and upgrades happen. Rio has been dependable and reliable. When you don’t have to worry, you figure you’re getting the value of your services,” she said.

About Rio Networks
Rio Networks is an Oregon owned and operated provider of leading edge business communication and cloud services including phone, email, data, Internet, and colocation. Coverage areas include Portland, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Woodburn, Salem, Albany, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Redmond, Bend, La Pine, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Ashland and more. Rio Networks services the business communities of Oregon with an industry leading 96 percent customer satisfaction score. Rio Networks is wholly owned by the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Tribe, based in Roseburg, Ore. Contact Rio Networks to learn how your business can benefit from a next generation network and cloud based technologies. You can find Rio Networks online at www.rionetworks.com or call 877-700-4746.