LEHI, Utah – WeLink, a disruptive, next-generation fixed wireless broadband provider, today announced that John Paul Farmer has joined the company as Chief Innovation Officer and President of WeLink Cities. Farmer joins WeLink after serving as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of New York City since June 2019, where he applied emerging technologies to improve lives in the nation’s largest metropolitan area. A nationally renowned executive, Farmer has served in key public and private-sector leadership roles, including Senior Advisor for Innovation in the White House under President Barack Obama and Director of Technology and Civic Innovation at Microsoft.
Farmer joins WeLink at a time of rapid projected growth with an increased focus on closing the digital divide worldwide. The Biden Administration recently made significant investments to extend broadband infrastructure across the U.S., and global demand for high-speed internet has increased steadily since 2020. Farmer joins the company to help communities succeed using modern broadband technologies that have become more critical than ever to expand high-speed internet access and affordability.
At WeLink, Farmer will lead the company's new growth initiatives and innovative development projects to bring affordable broadband to more people, including those in dense urban markets.
Farmer most recently served as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of New York City, appointed by the Mayor to set the city on the path toward universal broadband, among other duties. As CTO, he led the Big Apple’s award-winning digital initiatives, including the NYC Internet Master Plan, NYC Artificial Intelligence Strategy, NYC Internet of Things Strategy, NYC Digital Service, and an array of digital inclusion and digital rights programs.
Farmer is a graduate of Harvard University and holds an MBA in Finance & Economics and International Entrepreneurship from Columbia University. Before launching his noteworthy career in technology, Farmer played professional baseball in the minor leagues. In addition to his leadership roles at WeLink, he currently serves as a Fellow of the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Urban Research.
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