C-Suite Conversations Ep. 5 - Featuring Sean Adam (AFL)

In this special edition of the UTC Podcast, UTC President & CEO Rusty Williams sits down with Sean Adams of AFL for a candid C-Suite Conversation about technology, strategy, and where the industry is headed next.

Sean shares his journey from semiconductor engineering to 15+ years at AFL, now serving as Vice President of Corporate Strategy. He and Rusty dig into how AFL has grown from its utility roots into a global provider serving utilities, broadband providers, and hyperscale data centers, and how its portfolio has expanded from optical cable to test and inspection, conductor accessories, and complementary services.

Together, they explore how AFL:

• Supports utilities with optical ground wire (OPGW) and grid-focused solutions
• Serves traditional telcos and broadband carriers with scalable fiber networks
• Delivers high-density, high-speed connectivity for hyperscale data centers around the world
• Adapts its go-to-market and customer experience for three very different types of clients

Rusty and Sean also look ahead at the next decade of telecom and utility communications—from higher fiber density and multi-core fiber to the role of AI, automation, and “single pane of glass” visibility across increasingly complex grids and networks.

To wrap things up, Rusty and Sean shift gears and talk holiday traditions, football loyalties, and why family rituals matter just as much as industry roadmaps.