ETFOptimize | High-performance ETF-based Investment Strategies

Quantitative strategies, Wall Street-caliber research, and insightful market analysis since 1998.


ETFOptimize | HOME
Close Window

Gateway Fiber and WANRack Unite to Connect More Communities in Strategic Merger

St. Louis-based Gateway Fiber and Kansas City-based WANRack are announcing a merger that combines the resources of both companies into a national FTTX platform serving residents, businesses, and schools across 25 US states.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250203379706/en/

Gateway Fiber is an FTTP developer and operator started in 2019 that serves residential and commercial customers across Missouri, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. Launched in 2013, WANRack is an integrated broadband provider that serves school districts and libraries through its E-Rate program and residential and commercial customers in eastern Kansas through its KWIKOM subsidiary.

The merger of the two companies results in greater scale, improved operations, and growth opportunities for the new combined organization and its employees. Additionally, the combination of both organizations opens up new opportunities to further expand product offerings for small and medium businesses and fulfill more commercial and wholesale internet needs.

“Today, more than half of US households don't have access to fiber internet, and many school districts lack sufficient bandwidth for their students,” said Chris Surdo, CEO of the new company. “As a unified organization, especially with WANRack’s E-Rate offering, we have an exciting opportunity to expand our mission of serving customers and communities across our footprint.”

A fund owned by CBRE Investment Management is the majority owner of both Gateway Fiber and WANRack.

“As two high-growth fiber companies in our portfolio, bringing WANRack and Gateway Fiber’s complementary capabilities together made strategic sense,” said Noi Spyratos, Managing Director, Private Infrastructure at CBRE IM. “This positions the combined company to benefit from the opportunity to scale, diversify offerings in new markets, and unlock growth. Our team fully supports Chris and the new team’s vision and leadership.”

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2025, subject to required regulatory approvals. Throughout the merger process, customers will continue to experience the same excellent level of service they have come to expect from each company.

The new executive team includes key members of both organizations.

From Gateway Fiber:

  • Chris Surdo, Chief Executive Officer
  • Nathan McIntyre, Chief Information Officer
  • John Meyer, Chief Customer Officer
  • Jim Rosema, SVP, Customer Operations
  • Jason Johns, SVP, Network Deployment

From WANRack:

  • Todd Barfield, Chief Legal Officer
  • Maria Davis, Chief of Staff
  • Blake Mayfield, VP, E-Rate Sales
  • Shweta Bhatia, VP, Human Resources

About Gateway Fiber

Gateway Fiber is on a mission to positively impact communities through a better internet. As data requirements for residences and businesses continue to expand, Gateway is creating a leading, national fiber-to-the-home platform to serve this critical unmet need. Gateway provides faster, more reliable internet with a simple pricing model and industry-leading customer service. For more information, visit gatewayfiber.com.

About WANRack

WANRack, headquartered in the Kansas City metro area, is a privately-owned integrated fiber provider. Focused on providing internet connectivity to schools and libraries through the E-Rate program, WANRack operates under state Public Service Commissions and the FCC, adhering to reporting requirements and service standards as a certified E-Rate service provider. For more information, visit wanrack.com

About KWIKOM Communications

KWIKOM Communications, founded in 2010 in Iola, Kansas, provides phone and internet services to 75 counties across Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Florida. Acquired by WANRack in 2023, KWIKOM uses fiber optic and fixed wireless technology to deliver high-speed, low-latency connections. Since 2017, the company has expanded its fiber network to offer faster, more reliable connectivity, and recently added video services to provide a complete streaming and entertainment solution. For more information, visit kwikom.com/

About CBRE Investment Management

CBRE Investment Management is a leading global real assets investment management firm with $148.3 billion in assets under management* as of September 30, 2024, operating in more than 30 offices and 20 countries around the world. Through its investor-operator culture, the firm seeks to deliver sustainable investment solutions across real assets categories, geographies, risk profiles and execution formats so that its clients, people and communities thrive.

CBRE Investment Management is an independently operated affiliate of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBRE), the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2023 revenue). The company has more than 130,000 employees (including Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE Investment Management harnesses CBRE’s data and market insights, investment sourcing and other resources for the benefit of its clients. For more information, please visit cbreim.com.

*Assets under management (AUM) refers to the fair market value of real assets-related investments with respect to which CBRE Investment Management provides, on a global basis, oversight, investment management services and other advice and which generally consist of investments in real assets; equity in funds and joint ventures; securities portfolios; operating companies and real assets-related loans. This AUM is intended principally to reflect the extent of CBRE Investment Management’s presence in the global real assets market, and its calculation of AUM may differ from the calculations of other asset managers and from its calculation of regulatory assets under management for purposes of certain regulatory filings.

Contacts

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.


 

IntelligentValue Home
Close Window

DISCLAIMER

All content herein is issued solely for informational purposes and is not to be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor should it be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, hold or sell (short or otherwise) any security.  All opinions, analyses, and information included herein are based on sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, is made including but not limited to any representation or warranty concerning accuracy, completeness, correctness, timeliness or appropriateness. We undertake no obligation to update such opinions, analysis or information. You should independently verify all information contained on this website. Some information is based on analysis of past performance or hypothetical performance results, which have inherent limitations. We make no representation that any particular equity or strategy will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown. Shareholders, employees, writers, contractors, and affiliates associated with ETFOptimize.com may have ownership positions in the securities that are mentioned. If you are not sure if ETFs, algorithmic investing, or a particular investment is right for you, you are urged to consult with a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Neither this website nor anyone associated with producing its content are Registered Investment Advisors, and no attempt is made herein to substitute for personalized, professional investment advice. Neither ETFOptimize.com, Global Alpha Investments, Inc., nor its employees, service providers, associates, or affiliates are responsible for any investment losses you may incur as a result of using the information provided herein. Remember that past investment returns may not be indicative of future returns.

Copyright © 1998-2017 ETFOptimize.com, a publication of Optimized Investments, Inc. All rights reserved.