As I wrap up the FY2018 budget and associated fee structure, it’s never more clear to me what KanREN is here for. I hope that sounds odd, because that’s how I want to hook you into continuing to read this post.

KanREN, like every organization is a balancing act. Ours has a very tight closed loop control system. Our members are the recipients of our services, form our organizational governance, determine what services we will offer and determine what they will cost. When I prepare an annual budget with our board Finance Committee, it’s ever so clear to me that what we’re doing and how we’re doing it really is member driven.

It also reminds me how much we do that cannot be quantified on a rate sheet. In particular, the number of things we provide as included (DDoS mitigation, large IP address blocks, technical support, etc.) because that’s how you run an R&E network focused on it’s members — and how different that is than a typical telecommunications carrier. Nothing against the carriers, but their business is making money for their shareholders.

This year, I believe our Finance Committee challenged me with the toughest budget ever. The committee clearly identified several priorities for me… and they’re often competing priorities. For example, it’s hard to reduce per-unit fees, but increase our operating reserves, all the while ensuring our ability to support our members is not impacted. I’m pleased with the outcome. By listening to what’s important, and keeping that clearly in mind, I have a target to hit, and know where to strike the balance.

I’m proud of the work we’ve done this fall, and excited to present the FY2018 budget to the entire membership in a few weeks. Once again, I’m convinced that we continue to meet and exceed expectations of our membership in delivering high-quality services, with the best support anywhere, and at a price that’s fair and competitive for what we’re offering.