33 A PARTNERSHIP BUILT ON TRUST CHAPTER TWO In 1986, CADP became one of the first corporations to launch a nationwide two-way satellite communications network — even before Walmart, Chrysler and other giants adopted the technology. CADP’s subsidiary, Rural America Communications Inc., installed dishes at 120 Member offices, allowing them to transmit data faster and more reliably than with the phone lines. The satellite network was expected to save an estimated $240,000 to $320,000 a year in communications costs for CADP and its Members. “We had technology that rivaled anybody else around us,” marvels Randy Goeke, whose co-op, T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooper- ative in Brooklyn, Iowa, was an early adopter. He retired in 2017 as Assistant General Manager at T.I.P. Internally, CADP could make investments in cutting-edge technology because of a decision by General Manager Gary Hobson and the Board of Directors, shortly after Hobson arrived in 1980, to increase rates by 5 cents on each customer account served by Members. Those investments supported more advanced tools that would allow Members to respond to their customers more efficiently. “CADP Members look to their data processing organization to shelter them from the costly pitfalls and sometimes intim- idating technological changes of the computer industry,” said Delbert Smith, who was Board President of CADP and became the first Board Chairman of NISC. “CADP looks to its Members for advice, direction and ideas, so we can supply them with the computer services they need to run their organizations efficiently and effectively.” Texas Electric Cooperatives’ Data Center, which was already using a version of CAPS, merged with CADP in 1988, bringing 12 new Members. CADP began installing minicomputers —