West Wisconsin Telephone Cooperative held its first organizational meeting on April 7, 1954, at Dunn County Electric Cooperative at 912 Crescent Street in Menomonie (Now the 24-7 Telcom Office). The incorporators included: Ed Ferber, G.L. Johnson, Orin Sather, D.P. Kent, Martin Dahl and Henry Bates. It was decided at this meeting to name the company West Wisconsin Telephone Cooperative and charge a $10.00 membership fee to join the cooperative. There were eighteen members present and each one paid the fee at this first meeting.
The formation of the Cooperative was under the direction of a nine-member Board of Directors. They included G.L. Johnson, President; Ed Styer, Vice President; Martin Dahl, Secretary; Ed Ferber, Treasurer; Palmer Peterson, Director; Boyd Harshman, Director; John Erb, Director; Orin Sather, Director; and J.N. Robbins, Director. Ira Slocumb was the Cooperative Attorney.
During the first year, West Wisconsin Telephone Cooperative made progress toward their goal of improved service. The following companies were acquired: Rock Falls & Meridean Telephone Exchange Company, Downsville Telephone Company, Spring Lake Telephone Company, Cady Telephone Company and Brookside Telephone Company. In the first year, the Cooperative received 457 new memberships.
