Leadership transition sets the stage for continued growth and innovation in fiber broadband solutions

MINNEAPOLIS – October 24, 2024 – Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced a strategic leadership transition, appointing Anis Khemakhem as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) effective January 1, 2025. Khemakhem, who joined Clearfield earlier this year as Vice President of Global Technology Platforms, brings with him over 25 years of industry experience, with diverse leadership skills.

Khemakhem will drive the company’s marketing strategy, spearhead efforts to expand into new markets, and identify new product opportunities to support business growth initiatives both within and beyond the Company’s community broadband marketplace, and global adoption of its technology footprint. In this role, Khemakhem aims to further strengthen Clearfield’s market leadership by enhancing customer engagement and accelerating the development and rollout of innovative fiber solutions, particularly as Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding is being allocated.

Kevin Morgan, who has served as Clearfield’s CMO since 2016, will transition into the newly created role of Executive Advisor to the CEO, continuing to contribute to the company’s growth and industry leadership. In this role, Morgan will maintain Clearfield’s connection with the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), supporting public policy efforts while also representing Clearfield at select industry conferences and authoring articles for industry-leading publications. Leveraging deep industry expertise, Khemakhem and Morgan will help drive Clearfield’s expansion and deployment in support of the BEAD program, facilitating broadband deployment across underserved communities.

“Anis brings a wealth of new market development and marketing experience to Clearfield, and we’re excited to see how his vision will continue to elevate our presence in the market,” said Cheri Beranek, President and CEO of Clearfield. “We are deeply grateful for Kevin’s invaluable contributions as CMO, and we look forward to benefiting from his expertise in his new advisory role.”

The leadership transition comes at a pivotal time for Clearfield as it continues to push the boundaries of fiber management and connectivity solutions with innovations like the recently launched CraftSmart Deploy Reel TAP Box.

“It’s been an incredible journey serving as Clearfield’s CMO, and I look forward to continuing my work with the company in this new capacity,” said Morgan. “I’m eager to see Anis step into this new role and bring fresh energy and ideas to our marketing efforts.”

For more information on Clearfield and its innovative fiber solutions, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

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About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops – from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
clearfield@connect2comm.com

 First Women Changing Fiber for Good AMPLIFY Award Winner

MINNEAPOLIS — July 30, 2024 – Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) awarded Cheri Beranek, President and Chief Executive Officer of Clearfield, its Women Changing Fiber for Good AMPLIFY Award at an Awards Luncheon that recognized leaders across a variety of categories and disciplines. This award recognizes women who are making changes that will impact and improve the fiber broadband industry for years to come.

“Cheri has had a profound impact on her company, community, and the industry, and we’re thrilled she was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Women Changing Fiber for Good AMPLIFY Award. Her extensive track record with Clearfield stood out to the judges, building and growing the company over the past decade and a half, finding innovative solutions in the most challenging environments, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and preparing her company and its customers to be successful once BEAD funding starts to flow,” said Doug Mohney, FBA’s Fiber Forward Editor in Chief. “Cheri truly embodies everything we were looking for in naming a recipient of this award, and we are excited to see how she continues to change fiber for good.”

Beranek said, “It is an honor to be awarded the Women Changing Fiber for Good AMPLIFY Award by the Fiber Broadband Association. Being recognized for the hard work and accomplishments made in this field alongside other broadband industry leaders is truly an amazing honor. I hope that I can continue to help our industry evolve as it continues to grow through public and private funding, ensuring we close the digital divide.”

Cheri is a founding member of Clearfield and was named President and CEO in 2008. Her extensive leadership experience and insightful management style combine to deliver outstanding corporate performance. Under her direction, Clearfield has recorded 14 years of profitability and has gained Forbes’ recognition as one of America’s Best Small Companies three times, the most recent in 2022, ranking 4th in Forbes’ Top 100 Small Cap Company listing.

In addition to the Fiber Forward “Women Changing Fiber for Good” AMPLIFY Award, Beranek was recently named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Heartland Award winner.

By singularly focusing on the fiber market, Beranek has guided Clearfield into a half-billion-dollar multinational business with more than 400 employees and over 1,200 customers as a leading provider of fiber protection, fiber management, and fiber delivery solutions that enable rapid and cost-effective broadband deployment.

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About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center, and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

 
About the Fiber Broadband Association
The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists dedicated to the advancement of fiber broadband deployment and the pursuit of a world where communications are limitless, advancing quality of life and digital equity anywhere and everywhere. The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers, communities, and policy makers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. Since 2001, these companies, organizations, and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build the critical infrastructure that provides the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver. The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in North America, LATAM, Europe, MEA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.

Press Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc. and for the Fiber Broadband Association
Clearfield@connect2comm.com
FBA@connect2comm.com

With an average of 30 minutes per deployment time saved, Clearfield’s innovative new test access point streamlines the homes connected process

MINNEAPOLIS – July 29, 2024 – Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced the availability of the CraftSmart® Deploy Reel Test Access Point (TAP) Box and Home Deployment Kit (HDK), extending Clearfield’s field-proven fiber management expertise and leading-edge fiber connectivity performance all the way into the home. The HDK option offers the Deploy Reel TAP kitted with the home equipment cable and angled wall faceplate for the final connection into the home. These products satisfy a pressing need for industry network operators to quickly convert homes passed to homes connected, yielding immediate return on their fiber investment.

The craft-friendly Deploy Reel TAP Box is designed with a rounded profile to provide a safe bend radius for ample storage on the reel of up to 50-feet of excess fiber drop cable coming from the terminal and up to 100-feet of 3mm FieldShield® FLEXdrop® cable that the field technician can deploy into the home. This all-in-one flexibility with the reel enables the technician to pay out the exact amount of cable from the curb and into the home, saving up to 30 minutes per install compared to traditional methods. These benefits, documented in a recent Clearfield customer deployment study which surveyed over 150 installations utilizing the FieldShield Deploy Reel FastPass method, resulted in time savings between 35% and 38% versus the baseline method for outside and inside work performed.

“Every minute saved in the process of connecting homes speeds up the time in which an entire community can leverage the economic benefits enabled with fiber broadband,” said Clearfield’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kevin Morgan. “At Clearfield, our product development and design approach starts with the field technician in mind and focuses on ways we can improve their ability to quickly, efficiently, and effectively connect more homes – a benefit and competitive advantage that any network operator can appreciate.”

Network operators interested in connecting more homes per day can see Clearfield’s CraftSmart Deploy Reel TAP Box and the Home Deployment Kit option at booth 305 of Fiber Connect 2024 in Nashville, July 29-31, 2024. Orders for the CraftSmart Deploy Reel TAP Box and the Home Deployment Kit option can be placed starting now. More information can be found on this introductory video and at www.SeeClearfield.com.

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About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops – from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield@connect2comm.com

As industry prepares to tap NTIA BEAD Funding in 2026, Clearfield ensures its customers can meet stringent federal funding requirements to close the Digital Equity Gap

MINNEAPOLIS–(July 25, 2024)–Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, is highlighting its BABA-compliant fiber products at Fiber Connect 2024, being held July 28-31, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn. The company will discuss its Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act compliant products and philosophies at the event, as well as provide reference information on its website for service providers to use in meeting federal funding requirements.

Enacted as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on November 15, 2021, the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act maximizes the federal government’s use of services, goods, products, and materials produced and offered in the United States, with its requirements applicable to broadband infrastructure projects, such as the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. The BABA Act requires that products purchased with federal funding, such as fiber connectors and fiber optic cable, be domestically manufactured in the United States.

Clearfield recently expanded its manufacturing capabilities in Minnesota to accommodate BABA requirements and ensure its customers have the products needed as BEAD, as well as private equity and other funding sources, fuel fiber broadband expansion projects across America.

Clearfield’s industry-leading ClearPass® Connector Dust Cap and interactive BILT App for accessing product guides and documentation in the field will be demonstrated in the company’s booth, along with other BABA-compliant products.

Clearfield will sit alongside other industry experts and join the conversation in the following session:

• Monday, July 29
  • Track: Network Operations: The What, When, and How of Expanding Fiber Footprints
    • Session: Workforce Development: Finding the Right People to Work 9 to 5
    • Time: 12:30 – 1:20 pm
    • Speaker: Brian Schrand

Clearfield is also a finalist for two AMPLIFY Awards presented by the Fiber Broadband Association at Fiber Connect 2024. These awards recognize individuals, companies, and innovations that strengthen and advance the fiber broadband industry.

• Cheri Beranek, President & Chief Executive Officer of Clearfield, was named as a finalist in the Women Changing Fiber for Good This award recognizes women who are making changes that will impact and improve the industry for years to come.
• Clearfield was named a finalist in the Taking Fiber Further This award recognizes teams working together to support community broadband fiber network expansion, including construction, planning, and integration.

“I am beyond pleased for our recognition in these inaugural awards at Fiber Connect,” said Beranek. “Clearfield is dedicated to supporting community broadband and solving the unique needs of this market. Making the finalist list with other industry players is such an honor, especially as we continue on in this journey to bridge the digital divide and truly take fiber further.”

Clearfield will exhibit at booth #305, offering hands-on demonstrations of two game-changing innovations. In addition to cabinets, terminals, and many other fiber optic connectivity solutions, Clearfield will be featuring the interactive BILT app and the unique ClearPass® Connector Cleaning Dust Cap.

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About the Fiber Broadband Association
The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists dedicated to the advancement of fiber broadband deployment and the pursuit of a world where communications are limitless, advancing quality of life and digital equity anywhere and everywhere. The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers, communities, and policy makers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. Since 2001, these companies, organizations, and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build the critical infrastructure that provides the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver. The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in North America, LATAM, Europe, MEA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.

About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center, and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

Press Contacts:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for the Fiber Broadband Association and for Clearfield, Inc.
FBA@connect2comm.com
Clearfield@connect2comm.com

Morgan recognized for the positive changes he championed in the fiber broadband industry

MINNEAPOLIS – (June 11, 2024) – Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced that Kevin Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer of Clearfield, Inc., has been named a Notable Chief Marketing Officer for 2024 by Twin Cities Business. This award goes to those who have proven themselves and the brands they represent worthy of recognition. 

To qualify for this list, individuals must have shown an ability to effect change in their industry; Morgan has played an integral role over the past several decades through his work at the companies he has been a part of, as well as the industry associations he has helped lead. He is highly regarded as a leading advocate for how the industry brings high-speed broadband to all of America, including the rural community broadband networks represented by Clearfield customers.

“Kevin has truly been an asset to the Clearfield team since joining us eight years ago,” said Cheri Beranek, Chief Executive Officer at Clearfield. “His ideas continue to help Clearfield take fiber further and reach the underserved and unserved markets. His expertise is not only a huge value to us, but to those in the industry he helps to educate while traveling and speaking at events.”

Morgan has led Clearfield’s marketing efforts since 2016. Together with the organization’s founders and the rest of the leadership team, he honed the company’s messaging, building Clearfield’s reputation as the leading fiber connectivity and fiber management supplier and helping broadband service providers reduce the cost of deployment.

“I am both humbled and honored to have been named to Twin Cities Business’ Notable Chief Marketing Officer 2024 list,” said Morgan. “Earning this award is a testament showing that the work we have been doing at Clearfield is helping to advance the fiber broadband industry.”

Morgan served as the Chairman of the Board for the Fiber Broadband Association for three of the past nine years where he led efforts with federal agencies and Congress to educate them on the benefits of fiber-based high-speed broadband. These efforts were critical in securing over $100 billion of federal funding for broadband in the decade from 2020-30. He now serves as a member of the organization’s Senior Council. Recognized for his domain expertise and industry knowledge, he is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences. 

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About Clearfield, Inc.  
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops – from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com. 

Media Contact
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
clearfield@connect2comm.com
570.294.6750

Developed in collaboration with BILT, Clearfield ensures higher-quality field installations

MINNEAPOLIS – March 5, 2024 – Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced the availability of 3D interactive instructions for Clearfield® products delivered via the BILT® mobile app that provides installers an easy way to streamline the installation process available at no extra charge. The animated guides were developed in response to the Clearfield customer base, and will help reduce installation errors, time, and field issues by ensuring fiber technicians have access to the information they need right at their fingertips.

“This training tool is exactly what the technicians are in need of, something they can interact with to provide step-by-step instruction, without the need to read a manual or watch YouTube videos over a small device,” said KnightCom Fiber Solutions Project Manager Caleb Gutting. “This is how the younger generation and new hires can learn how to install Clearfield products correctly so that we can move quickly from deployment to service availability.”

Fiber technicians are expected to complete up to four installations a day, a pace likely to increase as NTIA BEAD funds begin to flow. The BILT app delivers detailed, visual guidance for Clearfield products that enable installers to be more productive and efficient. Customers can initially use the BILT app to install Clearfield’s YOURx® and SeeChange® terminals, Clearview® Cassettes, PON Cabinets, and Home Deployment Kits with plans to ultimately integrate the remaining product lines.

“Today’s workforce is more tech-savvy and digitally oriented, so creating an install tool that aligns with the way they want to learn and consume information makes perfect sense,” said Clearfield’s Director of Technical Training and Support, Kelly Weissmann. “We are excited to be the first telecommunication equipment manufacturer to bring the BILT app to our market and believe it will have an immediate impact on our customers’ ability to improve installation time and quality.”

The availability of Clearfield instructions in the BILT app is part of the company’s commitment to improve workforce development practices and tools. As the industry works to increase the fiber technician workforce, this 3D Interactive based tool makes it easier to onboard and attract the newer generation of technicians.

Both voice and text guidance for Clearfield products are immediately available in English, Spanish, and German, with plans to add other languages. Customers can download the BILT app worldwide from the App Store or Google Play.

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About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops – from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
clearfield@connect2comm.com
570.294.6750

 FiberFlex 600 designed for a variety of powered cabinet deployment scenarios as operators expand FTTH, 5G, and Edge Compute backhaul networks

MINNEAPOLIS – February 29, 2024 –  Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced the FieldSmart® FiberFlex 600. The small form factor of the FiberFlex 600 is designed to configure for numerous applications, including remote OLTs with PON distribution, wireless base stations with fiber backhaul aggregation, and active network equipment with backup power needs, utilizing a flexible layout. This is Clearfield’s latest and smallest size option in the FiberFlex series.

“With its small form factor, the FiberFlex 600 will give our customers more flexibility in how it is deployed in the outside plant, helping to overcome permitting challenges and rights of way impact as they look to deploy fiber broadband to less populated areas,” said Johnny Hill, Chief Operating Officer at Clearfield. “As the applications and services that are dependent on fiber broadband grow, operators now have a new and smaller deployment option from Clearfield to fit, and scale, to any size network.”

Manufactured in the United States and Build America Buy America (BABA) compliant, Clearfield’s FiberFlex 600 active cabinet provides up to 72 internal feeder fiber distribution ports, supporting passive FDH’s downstream, and offers an optional integrated AC Load Center with a generator plug for backup power, via one or two strings of batteries. This all-in-one design is capable of integrating fiber and active equipment powered by an AC Power Supply converter or DC rectification and features a 19-inch vertical equipment rack to provide options for up to 6RU of equipment rack space. The FiberFlex 600 features easy placement into any application with various mounting options, such as pad, pole, or vault mounts.

Clearfield’s FieldSmart® active cabinets incorporate its philosophy of modularity and flexibility. They are tested and approved to meet the rigorous demands of delivering information, communication, and environment services in an evolving, multimedia environment. The FiberFlex line of active cabinets is an all-in-one design integrating fiber, power, and active equipment. More information on the FieldSmart FiberFlex 600 active cabinet can be found on this introductory video, the datasheet and at www.seeclearfield.com.

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About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops – from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
clearfield@connect2comm.com
570.294.6750

With an innovative, fresh approach to design, Clearfield delivers significant shipping cost savings and eliminates traditional supply chain squeeze

MINNEAPOLIS – January 22, 2024 – Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced the availability of the CraftSmart® Fiber Protection Vault, an innovative, new design that eliminates the current supply chain constraints and delivers a 300% improvement in shipping and inventory space. The innovative design, crafted by Clearfield’s internal design team, allows the vaults to be shipped unassembled and flat packed, which enables shipping multiple vaults per pallet, dramatically saving up to 67% off freight, transportation, handling, and storage costs.

“We have been diligently working to improve our supply chain process so our community broadband customers have the products each need when needed, so they can meet the deadlines and requirements for expanding fiber broadband as part of NTIA BEAD and other federal funding programs,” said Clearfield’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kevin Morgan. “When we decided to bring the design and manufacturing of our new vault in-house, we looked at the opportunity holistically and saw the untapped potential to address the high cost associated with traditional designs by using a fundamentally new approach.”

Clearfield’s CraftSmart Fiber Protection Vault is purpose-built to accept the Clearfield Passive (PON) and Cross Connect cabinets, offering ordering simplicity for Clearfield Cabinet applications, and can be assembled in-field in under five minutes. Initial designs offer the 36”x48”x36” High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Thermoplastic vault with two lid options, a split HDPE lid with cut-out for Clearfield pedestals and cabinets, and a solid split HDPE lid for slack cable storage. The vault also allows operators to mount Clearfield’s new FiberFirst 12” plastic pedestals on the lid. All tools and materials needed for easy assembly in the field are included with the packaging.

Orders for the CraftSmart Fiber Protection Vault can be placed starting now. More information on the CraftSmart Fiber Protection Vault can be found on the data sheet, this video and at www.SeeClearfield.com.

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About Clearfield, Inc. 
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops – from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com

Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
clearfield@connect2comm.com
570.294.6750

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, will participate in a fireside chat at the Needham Growth Conference on January 17, 2024. The conference will be held at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in New York City.

Clearfield’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Cheri Beranek, and Chief Financial Officer, Dan Herzog, are scheduled to present on Wednesday, January 17, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time. A live webcast, as well as a replay, of the presentation will be available here.

About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center, and military markets. Headquartered in

Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
Greg McNiff
The Blueshirt Group
773-485-7191
clearfield@blueshirtgroup.com

Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
570-294-6750
clearfield@connect2comm.com

MINNEAPOLIS – November 16, 2023 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced that Cheri Beranek, president and CEO of Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2023 National Award winner, following Beranek’s selection as a Heartland regional award winner in June. Winners were selected from a pool of 224 regional Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 Award winners from 197 companies across the US. Entrepreneur Of The Year was created to honor those audacious entrepreneurs who dare to reimagine what’s possible and develop products and solutions that disrupt markets, revolutionize industries and transform lives. Now in its 37th year, it is celebrated as one of the most respected business award programs in the world.

“I am honored to be named as an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 National Award Winner,” said Beranek. “This award validates the work that we do at Clearfield and will act as a motivator for us to continue to leverage the entrepreneurial spirit that has enabled us to build our business, serve our customers and create tremendous value for all of our stakeholders.”

Winners were selected by a panel of independent judges made up of entrepreneurs and other notable business leaders from across the US. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

 As the fiber broadband industry enters it largest investment cycle ever, Beranek demonstrated extensive leadership while executing an insightful management style to navigate through supply chain challenges. She continues to focus on customers’ needs and the role that Clearfield can play in their success to ensure the digital divide closes.

Beranek joins the following leaders from across the nation as Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 National Award winners:

• Jason McGowan, Co-Founder and CEO, Crumbl Cookies, Lindon, Utah
• Felipe Hasselmann, President and CEO, Cuisine Solutions, Sterling, Virginia
• Wemimo Abbey, Co-Founder, Co-CEO and Samir Goel, Co-Founder, Co-CEO, Esusu, New York, New York
• Sohail Masood, CEO, KabaFusion, Cerritos, California
• RJ Melman, President, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, Chicago, Illinois
• Tom Brennan, CEO and CTO, Sol-Ark, Plano, Texas
• Gaurab Chakrabarti, Co-Founder and CEO and Sean Hunt, Co-founder and CTO, Solugen, Houston, Texas
• Josh Meyerowitz, Founder and CEO, SupplyHouse, Melville, New York
• Michael Happe, President and CEO, Winnebago Industries, Eden Prairie, Minnesota (National Overall Award winner)

“Business leaders everywhere are navigating a slew of macro-economic and geopolitical challenges. Still, this year’s National Award winners led their companies to new heights, showcasing indomitable spirits and commitments to their people and communities,” said Andrew (AJ) Jordan, EY Americas Entrepreneur Of The Year Director. “They embody the best of entrepreneurship and the ingenuity so necessary to drive markets and help societies the world over.”

Since 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated entrepreneurs whose drive, innovative spirit and creativity have fueled their companies’ success, revolutionized their industries and positively impacted their communities. The National finalists and winners were announced during a celebration held at the Strategic Growth Forum^®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. They become lifetime members of the esteemed community of award winners, with exclusive, continued access to the experience, insight and wisdom of fellow alumni and other ecosystem members in over 60 countries — all supported by a wide array of EY resources.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, SAP America and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Videos and photos
Videos and photos of all Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners will be available at https://www.ey.com/en_us/entrepreneur-of-the-year/meet-the-winners-and-finalists.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year^®
Entrepreneur Of The Year^® is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for ambitious entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National Overall Award winners go on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year title. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY
EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US.

About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com

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Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
clearfield@connect2comm.com
570.294.6750

MINNEAPOLIS– Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, will participate in a fireside chat at the Needham Virtual Security, Networking, & Communications Conference on November 14, 2023.

Clearfield’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Cheri Beranek, and Chief Financial Officer, Dan Herzog, are scheduled to virtually present on Tuesday, November 14, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. A live webcast, as well as a replay, of the presentation will be available here.

About Clearfield, Inc. 
Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center, and military markets. Headquartered in

Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
Greg McNiff
The Blueshirt Group
773-485-7191
clearfield@blueshirtgroup.com

Media Contact:
Autumn Minnich
Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
570-294-6750
clearfield@connect2comm.com