Behind Mitchell Telecom

Stacy Buckley keeps the company in motion

By Megan Luther

When Stacy Buckley is running errands around town, she’s often stopped by Mitchell Telecom customers. She’s easy to spot: Stacy frequently wears a shirt displaying the company logo with that distinct red M.

“I know there are some people who don’t like to wear a company logo,” she says. “But it’s like me. It’s like, ‘Well, I’m Mitchell Telecom.’ So if you have an issue, you might as well tell me.”

Stacy doesn’t even work in customer service. She’s Mitchell Telecom’s controller, overseeing the company’s financial reporting and budgeting. It’s a position that specializes in numbers, not people. Stacy happens to excel at both.

Accounting was never the plan. Stacy, a Mitchell native, started out studying pharmacy at Mankato State University in Minnesota. After a year, she transferred to the University of South Dakota to join her boyfriend and switched her major to accounting. Stacy swore she’d never live in her hometown again, but after graduating she and her boyfriend – now husband — moved back.

She worked 13 tax seasons at Endorf, Lurken, Olson & Co in Mitchell before joining Mitchell Telecom in 2005, shortly after it was founded.

When I first met Stacy, she was walking laps in the large conference room at the Mitchell Telecom building on North Main Street. She was also working, listening to a webinar on hazardous reporting. Staying out of her office and moving helped Stacy focus on the minutiae of the presentation.

Months later, we sat in that same conference room to chat about something Stacy would rather not talk about: herself.

When her boss, Mitchell Telecom CEO and General Manager Scott Peper asked her to be featured for a story, Stacy’s reply was: “Are you sure? I’m not a good talk-about-myself person.” Even outside the office, she’d rather hear about friends’ and families’ stories than tell her own. But here she is, without a fuss. “I think it’s good for Mitchell Telecom.”

Stacy’s all in. I point out this is her 20th anniversary with the company. “Twenty years. Wow. That’s a long time. I hadn’t even thought about that until just now. Wow.”

The time has gone fast, Stacy says. She was there when Mitchell Telecom had just a few dozen customers. The company now serves more than 5,200.

Stacy won’t say it, but Scott will tell you she’s one of the company’s driving forces. In the role of budgeting, it’s easy to be conservative, staying the course. But Stacy encourages the company to move forward, to keep investing.

“I don’t think that that’s natural for people in that role,” Scott said, “but it’s natural for people in that role who are really, really good.”

Stacy’s naturally a mover. She has a daily goal of 10,000 steps, one she reaches often in the warmer months. When she has to be in her office, Stacy either stands at her desk or sits on a large exercise ball. Red, of course.

Her office is uncluttered. There’s plenty of clear desk space, with no stacks of paper in sight. I was able to get Stacy to describe herself: “Detail-oriented because everything I do is detailed. Everything has its place. Even at my house, everything has its place.”

Scott confirms she’s organized. “Maybe annoyingly so.”

He describes her as a human version of Microsoft Outlook reminders. But he needs it. Stacy stays on top of things, and if Scott forgets a report or two her reminders are gentle enough. Plus, she likes paperwork.

In an industry that’s heavily regulated by the government, Stacy’s skills are essential. “She’s the one who’s kind of buttoned up and ready to rock and roll,” Scott says.

Her skills are welcomed at church and the Mitchell Exchange Club, a community service organization where she volunteers. When her children, both musically gifted, were in high school, she helped with the Mitchell Show Choir organizing the traveling and dinner theatre. It’s where she met her longtime friend Jacki Roy, whose daughters sang in the choir.

“She is the one you would want to be on your board or to be on your committee,” Jacki says. “You would want her to be in charge if you can get her to be in charge, because she doesn’t leave out any details.”

Stacy delegates but doesn’t micromanage, says her direct report, Mitchell Telecom accountant Don Pooley. Once in a while he’ll even find his favorite candy, Milk Duds, on his desk.

“That’s kind of a nice little thing as far as a boss goes, who goes outside of just the numbers,” he says.

Stacy also plans potlucks for the office and helps create a sense of community. She and her husband support the Area Community Theatre, DWU and high school productions in Mitchell. Even though her children are grown, Stacy still attends Kernel games and show choir performances.

“Mitchell’s a great town to live in,” she says. “And so I think if you want to be a good community member, you’ve got to put your time into it.”

For someone who swore she’d never move back to her hometown, Stacy is Mitchell.

Megan Luther, a lifelong storyteller, has called Mitchell home for more than 30 years.