Lucht Retires from Minburn Communications; Pals Named CEO

MINBURN, IA – April 15, 2025 – After 19 successful years at Minburn Communications, in which the company has grown substantially, Debra Lucht has retired from the company. Her tenure was celebrated with several acknowledgements at the company annual meeting on April 7th.

On that day, the company’s board of directors named Douglas Pals the new Chief Executive Officer. He joined the company as General Manager in September of last year.

Beyond her communications work, Lucht has been deeply involved in economic development at various levels with the communities Minburn Communications serves. She will continue her work with the State of Iowa’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative and Leadership Iowa Board of Directors.

Recently, the Iowa Communications Alliance, the statewide association for companies like Minburn Communications, awarded Lucht a Lifetime Leadership Award for her long-standing service to the industry at various levels.

While at the company, Lucht led the transition to fiber-optic technology, expanding services to Woodward, Minburn, Perry, rural Adel, rural Dallas Center, and parts of rural Waukee. Minburn Communications is in the process of completing several projects that were partially funded by the State of Iowa’s Broadband Grant program. Those projects are expected to be complete in 2025 and 2026. More than 500 customers are being connected to fiber Internet this year, and as many are expected next year as well.

Reflecting on her time at Minburn Communications, Lucht shares, “It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead the remarkable organization. Thank you for your belief in our mission and for allowing me to be part of this remarkable chapter – I leave knowing the future of the company is in excellent hands.”

Douglas Pals has extensive experience in Iowa’s independent communications industry. He joins Minburn Communications after 4 years as Chief Experience Officer at FMTC of Stanton and 22 years as founder and CEO of Re:Sourceful Communications. Pals has He also has extensive economic development experience, that started with the Spencer Main Street Company in 1990.

About Minburn Communications
A stock company governed by a Board of Directors, Minburn Communications is a Certified Gig-Capable telecommunications provider. Our network is 100% fiber to the premise delivering Broadband Internet, Managed Wi-Fi, Voice, TV, Fixed Wireless Internet, Business Phone Solutions and more to customers in Minburn, Woodward, Perry, Dallas Center and rural Dallas County. Originally created in 1903 as Minburn Mutual Telephone Company, the company has grown to include the subsidiaries of Minburn Telephone Company, Minburn Cablevision, Inc., Minburn Telecommunications, Inc., and Dallas County Wireless, Inc. which are all d/b/a Minburn Communications. Experience our Hometown Touch by contacting us at www.minburncomm.com, 515-438-2200 or follow us at www.facebook.com/Minburn-Communications.