Vongvanith Named Kinetic’s First Chief Customer Officer; Brings Customer Voice to Senior Leadership
Rhea-AI Summary
Kinetic (NYSE:UNIT) named Stacie Vongvanith as its first chief customer officer, effective Feb 17, 2026, creating a new senior role to strengthen the company’s customer-focused strategy.
Vongvanith brings more than a dozen years in customer analytics, retention and telecom leadership to support Kinetic’s 100% fiber internet growth and improve service, experience and loyalty.
Positive
- First CCO appointed on Feb 17, 2026
- Vongvanith 12+ years in customer analytics and retention
- Focus on customer experience for 100% fiber service
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, UNIT declined 0.36%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
UNIT gained 3.59% while peers were mixed: FPI +0.25%, LAND +2.01%, OUT -1.11%, PCH +1.29%, EPR +1.76%. No momentum scanner peers flagged.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 30 | Fiber notes completion | Positive | -2.6% | Completion of <b>$960,100,000</b> Kinetic fiber securitization notes offering. |
| Jan 26 | Earnings call date | Neutral | +0.0% | Set date for Q4 and full-year 2025 results and conference call. |
| Jan 21 | Upsized senior notes | Positive | -0.8% | Priced upsized <b>$1.0 billion</b> 8.625% senior notes due 2032. |
| Jan 21 | Private notes offering | Neutral | +3.3% | Announced private offering of <b>$500 million</b> 8.625% senior notes due 2032. |
| Jan 15 | Fiber notes pricing | Positive | +0.1% | Priced <b>$960.1 million</b> secured fiber network revenue term notes. |
Recent UNIT news has centered on debt and fiber securitizations, with mixed price reactions to financing announcements.
Over the last months, Uniti has focused on large-scale financings tied to its fiber assets and capital structure. It announced and then priced a $960.1 million Kinetic fiber securitization targeting repayment around February 2031, plus a separate $250,000,000 term notes deal via subsidiaries. The company also moved from a planned $500 million senior notes offering to an upsized $1.0 billion issue due 2032, aimed at refinancing a term loan due 2031. An earnings date announcement on March 2, 2026 rounded out the period’s events.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement spotlights Kinetic’s creation of a chief customer officer role to strengthen its 100% fiber customer experience. It follows a period in which Uniti executed sizable fiber securitizations and senior notes offerings to reshape its capital structure. Investors may focus on how improved customer analytics, retention strategies, and service quality at Kinetic interact with these financings, watching future disclosures on churn, penetration, and returns on recent fiber investments.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kinetic, a leader in residential and business fiber internet, has elevated the customer voice with the creation of its new chief customer officer role. The position, which is the first of its kind at Kinetic, underscores the company’s customer-obsessed approach and commitment to delivering better technology, service, value and experience for customers.
Industry leader Stacie Vongvanith will be Kinetic’s first CCO. Drawing on her years of telecom, cable and fiber internet experience, Vongvanith will enhance Kinetic's customer experience, identify pain points and act quickly to solve them, helping the company continue to raise the bar for its fast-growing,
“I’m thrilled to have Stacie join the Kinetic team. She’s a proven change-maker and her data-driven approach has repeatedly improved customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty,” said John Harrobin, president of Kinetic. “I am confident her leadership will help us set a new standard for fiber internet service and experience.”
Vongvanith brings more than a dozen years in customer-based-analytics and retention strategies, overseeing large-scale teams in telecom and broadband. She most recently served as senior vice president of loyalty and analytics and acting head of the Consumer business unit at Frontier Communications. Prior to Frontier, Vongvanith led retention and analytics teams for both Charter Communications and Dish Network.
“I’m honored to join this world-class Kinetic team; we’re going to be laser-focused on growing a customer‑first fiber experience. Our customers will find that it’s not just about higher speeds; it’s about better service and experience, too, and Kinetic is committed to delivering all three,” said Vongvanith. “My north star is simple: position Kinetic as a leader in customer loyalty and raise the bar at every customer interaction, earning trust one install, one call, one neighborhood at a time.”
As the insurgent fiber provider, Kinetic is committed to challenging the status quo for its customers, putting their needs, priorities, challenges and experiences first.
For more information, visit GoKinetic.com.
About Kinetic: Kinetic, a business unit of Uniti (NASDAQ: UNIT), is a premier insurgent provider of multi-gigabit fiber internet, whole-home Wi-Fi, internet security, and voice services in 1,400 markets across 18 states in the Southwestern, Southeastern, Midwestern and Northeastern U.S. Additional information about Kinetic is available at gokinetic.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Krtek
megan.krtek@uniti.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f5bdcc2-919f-4bdd-980e-b093e6440a8a
FAQ
Who is Kinetic (UNIT) appointing as its first chief customer officer and when?
What experience does Stacie Vongvanith bring to Kinetic (UNIT)?
How will the new chief customer officer role affect Kinetic (UNIT) customers?
Does Kinetic (UNIT) say this hire supports its 100% fiber internet strategy?
Will Stacie Vongvanith’s appointment change Kinetic (UNIT) leadership priorities?
Where can investors find more information about Kinetic (UNIT) and this leadership change?
