Two major telecommunications providers, Ritter Communications and Great Plains Communications, are combining under the n
Grain Management, a leading private investment firm focused on digital infrastructure and communications, announced on June 16, 2026, that it will combine its two portfolio companies—Jonesboro, Arkansas-based Ritter Communications and Blair, Nebraska-based Great Plains Communications—into a single new organization and brand called Rightfiber.
The strategic combination unites two respected telecommunications providers, each with more than one hundred years of history, that share a commitment to expanding high-quality fiber connectivity, investing in local communities, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
Heath Simpson, the current Chief Executive Officer of Ritter Communications, will serve as CEO of the combined company. Todd Foje, the current CEO of Great Plains Communications, will serve as Executive Chairman.
Heath Simpson commented on the merger, stating, "Ritter and Great Plains share a deep commitment to customers, communities, and our amazing employees. By coming together as Rightfiber, we are building on the strengths of both organizations to create new opportunities for growth while continuing to deliver the fast, reliable services and local relationships our customers value."
Grain Management has supported significant growth at both companies through long-term investment in fiber infrastructure, operational expansion, and broadband accessibility. Todd Foje added, "Ritter Communications and Great Plains Communications share remarkably similar values, cultures, and commitments to the communities they serve. Together, Rightfiber will combine deep local relationships with expanded capabilities and investment to accelerate growth and continue bringing advanced fiber connectivity to underserved communities."
The combined organization will maintain a strong local focus while leveraging expanded scale, resources, and infrastructure investment to support future growth. Customers will continue receiving the same reliable service, local relationships, and personalized support they currently receive. Both companies remain committed to maintaining strong community partnerships and continuing long-term infrastructure investment across the new service area. The transaction remains subject to customary approvals and regulatory review.
Great Plains Communications, based in Blair, Nebraska, operates as the leading privately owned communications and fiber technology provider in the Midwest. With over a century of experience, it delivers fiber-based services including high-speed internet, managed Ethernet, and custom connectivity solutions to residential and business customers in nearly two hundred communities across Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Nebraska. Its MEF-certified fiber network spans more than twenty thousand miles across thirteen states and is monitored continuously by a state-of-the-art Network Operations Center.
Ritter Communications, headquartered in Jonesboro, Arkansas, is the largest privately held telecommunications provider serving the South. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in technology infrastructure and now serves one hundred ninety-seven communities with more than sixty-five thousand customers across Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, offering fiber broadband, telecom, video, and data center services.