RUS Administrator To Speak at Forum 2023

Berke joined RUS with nearly three decades of experience as a political leader and elected official. He was the mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee, from 2013 to 2021, where he served more than 180,000 residents and improved the efficiency and day-to-day operations of local government. Under Berke’s leadership, Chattanooga operated its own wastewater system and received national recognition for improving access to high-speed internet for underserved communities. Berke was also a member of the Tennessee State Senate from 2007 to 2012. In that role, he worked with electric cooperatives and was a member of the Transportation and Education Senate Committees. Before joining RUS, Berke was a special representative for broadband at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce. He holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School and a Bachelor of Science from Stanford University.  

Berke was named Municipal Leader of the Year by American City and County magazine in 2015 and City Executive of the Year by StateScoop in 2020. He was also named Digital Inclusion Trailblazer by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance in 2020.

Registration, hotel information and agenda are available in the Events section of the CFC Member Website. Make sure to book rooms before the May 25 hotel cut-off date. For questions, contact CFC’s Events & Training team at events@nrucfc.coop or 800-424-2954.