Diamond State Networks promotes McDaniel, adds Adkins

Diamond State Networks (DSN), an Arkansas-based fiber optic middle mile services provider, has made changes in its executive management team. The company has promoted Jill McDaniel to chief operating officer and hired Tim Adkins as vice president of sales.

McDaniel’s promotion to COO occurred just before her one-year anniversary with DSN in November. This role expands her focus to now include network engineering in addition to her existing scope of leading network operations, project management, field operations and sales engineering.

“Jill is an absolute difference-maker for DSN,” said Doug Maglothin, CEO of DSN. “I am so pleased that Jill has accepted this new role and increased scope with us. I call Jill our ‘secret weapon’ due to her uncanny ability to bring organization to chaos. In a new and rapidly growing startup like DSN, this is invaluable.”

McDaniel had previously served as DSN’s vice president of operations since she started in December of 2022. Her previous career experience includes roles with Irby Utilities, Ritter Communications, Allo Communications and Windstream.

Adkins has experience in wholesale telecommunications business development and he came to DSN with more than 20 years of industry experience including multiple terms at both Iris Networks and Ritter Communications. Adkins and his family previously lived in Jonesboro for two years between 2013 and 2015.

“I have known Tim since we crossed paths working on a telecom acquisition in 2012. He was a tremendous advisor to me then and has remained a wonderful coworker, friend and advisor to me in the years since. I cannot think of a better leader to build DSN’s sales team around,” said Maglothin.

DSN is owned by 14 of Arkansas’ electric cooperatives who are combining for the largest fiber optic broadband investment in the state’s history, with more than $1.8 billion in network being constructed across nearly 70% of the state.