Ben Lomand Connect honors Dr. Troop

Friday at noon was the time and the Milner Recreation Center was the place for a salute to Dr. Ray Troop, who recently ended his 38-year tenure on the Ben Lomand Connect Board of Directors.

Dr. Troop's nearly four-decades of leadership came to an end on Dec. 31, 2025 when his retirement became effective. His seat went to Main Street Media owner Chad Graves who was selected by the board to fill the remainder of Dr. Troop's term, which runs through March 2027.

Friday was a day to celebrate Dr. Troop's time on the board with a retirement luncheon attended by BLC employees, former employees and community members. Following the lunch, speakers reflected on Dr. Troop's tenure and the impact his leadership has had and will continue to have.

Former BLC CEO Levoy Knowles spoke on his time with Dr. Troop and the contributions he made in helping BLC grow into the state's No. 1 telephone communications cooperative.

"Dr. Troop has experienced a multitude of changes throughout his tenure," Knowles said. "He's always been diligent in requiring the best from his team, no matter what team that might be. If it benefitted the members of the cooperative, he was generally for it. It's been a great ride for me to get to know Dr. Troop. It was one of the highlights and honors of my career. He's been my mentor, my doctor and always my friend. Congratulations on 38 years of service. You have been instrumental in making Ben Lomand one of the best cooperatives in the world. Thank you for taking me along on part of your journey."

Dr. Troop's service on the board began April 17, 1987 and continued throughout 2025. His tenure is one of the longest in Ben Lomand Telephone/Ben Lomand Connect history. Dr. Troop and his wife Betty have one child, Shannon, who lives in Oregon. In addition to his service at BLC, Dr. Troop is well known to generations of Warren County residents for his nearly 50 years practicing medicine. Prior to his medical career, he served in the U.S. Army from 1959-1970, including a tour in Vietnam.

"Doc has been a mentor to just about all of us," BLC CEO/GM Greg Smartt said. "He's really showed us what it's like to be a gentleman's gentleman. He's showed us an example of a businessman and how we should take care of our customers, our members and our employees, and we appreciate that. We have mixed emotions today. It's like sending your child off to college. Dr. Troop, we bid you farewell as you enter into a well-deserved retirement. Your contributions as a BLC board member have been invaluable. We will miss your guidance. During your tenure, you have exemplified qualities of a true leader, always putting the needs of the customers and employees first. Your dedication and commitment to advancing our mission have been inspirational to us all. You have played an instrumental role in shaping the future of our organization and your legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come."

Smartt presented Dr. Troop with a Citizen watch and a plaque in recognition of his service.

"This has been one of the biggest blessings of my life," Dr. Troop said of his time on the board. "It's been educational, and I've met some wonderful people."

Until next time, the Beat goes on

Thanks for reading all the way to the end of another edition of Biz Beat presented by Ben Lomand Connect. Send your local business questions, suggestions and tips to seth.wright@mainstreetmedia.llc.