Lou McAlister Becomes Latest Digital Leader to Join Forge Institute’s Advisory Board
Co-founder and CEO of Broadband Development Group provides insight and leadership to support Arkansas’ growing digital innovation community
Forge Institute, a national leader in increasing digital capabilities for organizations nationwide, announced today that Lou McAlister, co-founder and CEO of Broadband Development Group and author of the entrepreneurial guidebook No Substitutes, has joined the Forge Institute Board of Advisors. McAlister’s service to the Forge Advisory Board begins immediately.
“In my time working for various businesses, pushing the boundaries of digital innovation, I’ve had a unique opportunity to work with and mentor hundreds of entrepreneurs and innovators, at both large corporations and startups. Joining the Forge Institute Advisory Board gives me an opportunity to continue my passion for mentorship and contribute to their success in developing and scaling solutions that support our communities, businesses and national defense.”
According to Mr. McAlister, “I have known Lee Watson for a long time. When he and Dr. James Hendren built The Venture Center, Lee asked me to serve as Entrepreneur-in-Residence, where I worked with him to create a world class mentorship program for entrepreneurs.“
McAlister’s addition to the Forge Board of Advisors lends even more thought-diversity to a body that features voices from all corners of the digital, cyber, and innovation communities. The Advisory Board is currently composed of a number of Chief Information Security Officers, data scientists, security executives, entrepreneurs, and directors from various law enforcement agencies.
“Driving innovation is key to advancing collective cyber defense, for countering near-peer aggression and to growing our economy. These opportunities are best approached through a variety of perspectives,” explained Forge founder and CEO Lee Watson. “As an experienced leader in the telecommunications sector and a successful serial entrepreneur, Lou brings tremendous experience in developing new ideas and executing business models. He has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and innovators and his experience mentoring them to success will be key as Forge takes continued steps at driving innovation to support national defense. We’re pleased to have him in the fold.”
McAlister’s multi-faceted career in the public and private sectors includes operational, technical, strategic planning, and business development experience in large companies such as AT&T as well as in his own start-ups. He is the co-founder of Navigator Telecommunications, which was an Arkansas-based super-regional competitive local exchange company (CLEC) that operated in 31 states. In 2021, McAlister was tasked by the Arkansas Legislature to help create a master plan for expanding broadband Internet across the state.
McAlister was recently honored as a Tech Leader in 2022 Arkansas Money and Politics and by Arkansas Business in 2022 and 2023 in their “Arkansas 250” most influential Arkansans. He holds a B.A. from the University of Arkansas–Little Rock and an M.S. in Telecommunications Management from New York University–Polytechnic, in New York City.
Key Facts
Lou McAlister, author and co-founder/CEO of Broadband Development Group, has joined the Forge Institute Board of Advisors.
McAlister was tasked in 2021 by the Arkansas Legislature to expand broadband access across the State of Arkansas.
The Forge Institute Board of Advisors is composed of leading AI, cybersecurity, data & innovation voices from many different corners of the digital community
