Leadership transitions unite sales and marketing under CCO role, add new sales and channel executives

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced a series of executive leadership changes designed to support the company’s next phase of growth and strengthen its sales and marketing organization.

Anis Khemakhem has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), expanding his responsibilities beyond marketing to also oversee Clearfield’s global sales organization. Since joining Clearfield in 2024 as Vice President of Global Technology Platforms and then Chief Marketing Officer, Khemakhem has increased the company’s brand presence and evolved its marketing strategy. In his new role, he will lead a unified sales and marketing organization focused on customer engagement, market expansion, and driving growth to support accelerating broadband deployments and emerging opportunities in AI, data centers, IoT and wireless technologies. With a strong background in business strategy and sales leadership, Khemakhem is well positioned to align Clearfield’s sales and marketing efforts to strengthen customer relations and accelerate the development and rollout of innovative fiber solutions.

As part of this transition, long-time sales leader Allen Griser, who has served as Clearfield’s CCO since 2019, will leave Clearfield by the end of the year to pursue other interests. Until that time, Mr. Griser will serve in an Executive Advisor role. In his new advisory capacity, he will draw on his decades of experience to ensure a smooth transition and continue to support sales organization initiatives. Over his career at Clearfield, Griser built a robust sales infrastructure focused on strengthening Clearfield’s strong customer experience culture and creating customer intimacy second to none in our industry. This is a foundation upon which the company is poised to continue to grow.

Clearfield also announced two new executive appointments to further strengthen its sales and channel leadership. Mike Ward has joined Clearfield as Vice President of Sales, Broadband. Ward, based in Tampa, Florida, brings more than 25 years of telecom sales leadership experience, most recently serving as Vice President of Global Sales at Charles Industries. He will lead Clearfield’s broadband-focused sales strategy, deepen relationships with providers, and guide sales efforts as broadband customers expand into new market opportunities.

In addition, Marc Temple has been named Vice President of Channels and Strategic Alliances. Temple, based in Trabuco Canyon, California, has more than 25 years of experience leading global sales and channel organizations across industries including broadband, aerospace, and defense. At Clearfield, he will oversee the evolution of the company’s channel strategy, working closely with distributors, integrators, and ecosystem partners to expand Clearfield’s market reach.

“These leadership updates reflect our commitment to building the right team for the opportunities ahead,” said Cheri Beranek, President and CEO of Clearfield. “Anis has proven his ability to expand our marketing efforts and now, as CCO, will align sales and marketing under a unified strategy to fuel growth. We are grateful for Allen’s many contributions in building a strong sales foundation and look forward to his continued guidance. And we are thrilled to welcome Mike and Marc, both of whom bring outstanding experience, energy, and a customer-first approach that will help accelerate our momentum.”

Clearfield’s leadership transitions come at a time of significant opportunity in the broadband industry as service providers prepare for large-scale builds supported by federal and state programs. With an expanded leadership team, Clearfield is positioned to continue delivering innovative, cost-effective fiber solutions that connect communities across North America.

For more information on Clearfield and its innovative fiber solutions, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops - from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

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