About Us
About Us
Founded in 1992, Watch Communications is a wireless communications company specializing in Wireless Broadband Internet, Fiber Internet, TV, Hosting and VoIP Phone Services to both residential and business customers in the rural Midwest. Watch Communications began as a Cable TV Provider and expanded service offerings at the beginning of the Broadband Internet Revolution in 1998 to include Internet. Watch focuses on under- and unserved small and rural markets throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. The company has grown from its roots in Lima, OH, to service homes and businesses throughout the Midwest.
Watch Communications Broadband Internet service has been engineered to provide services via radio signal. Watch Communications has an experienced management team with extensive wireless broadband/ISP expertise to bring to you the best possible product. Our network utilizes the most recent technologies, always-on connections and high-speed connectivity. Our customers are provided with an advanced reception antenna, affixed to their home or property. Watch Communications is equipped to provide service to almost any home in our service area, and we pledge to do whatever it takes to provide our clients with quality services.
Watch Communications is proud to partner with Dish TV to offer satellite television service. Our services have grown to offer our customers a local quality and affordable alternative to standard Cable Television systems and packages that fit into any budget.
Watch Communications is a subsidiary of Benton Ridge Telephone (BRT), an Ohio corporation founded in 1902 to provide telephone services in rural Ohio communities.
Executive Team
Chris Daniels
CEO, President
Chris Daniels is President and CEO of Watch Communications. Chris has served in technical, sales, and executive roles with both wireline and wireless telecommunications companies for nearly 30 years. Chris joined Watch Communications as CEO in 2019 and is working toward establishing the company as a leading provider of rural broadband in the Midwest.
Before joining Watch, Chris served as President of Telrad’s Broadband Wireless Access division. In this role, he led the charge in establishing Telrad as a worldwide leader in fixed-focused LTE solutions. Chris joined Telrad after their acquisition of the Alvarion BWA division in 2013, where he served as VP of Sales and later as General Manager of the Americas. Previously, Chris served as an AVP of Product Strategy for Zhone Technologies, where he focused on meeting the technology needs of global wireline carriers.
Chris studied Computer Science at Purdue University from 1988-1992 and earned a BS in International Business Administration from Liberty University.
Randy Marksberry
Chief Financial Officer
Randy Marksberry is the Chief Financial Officer for Watch Communications. He was most recently a controller and valuation consultant, advising clients throughout the Greater Cincinnati area on optimizing their finance, accounting, and IT operations. Randy managed the end-to-end accounting and financial reporting functions across a broad spectrum of companies and environments, including manufacturing, construction, health care, and professional services industries. The companies he advised ranged in total gross revenue from $10 million to $250 million.
Randy Marksberry
Chief Financial Officer
Randy Marksberry is the Chief Financial Officer for Watch Communications. He was most recently a controller and valuation consultant, advising clients throughout the Greater Cincinnati area on optimizing their finance, accounting, and IT operations. Randy managed the end-to-end accounting and financial reporting functions across a broad spectrum of companies and environments, including manufacturing, construction, health care, and professional services industries. The companies he advised ranged in total gross revenue from $10 million to $250 million.
Randy and his family live in Crescent Springs, KY.
Tommy Della Rocco
Chief Operating Officer
Tommy Della Rocco is the Chief Operating Officer for Watch Communications. He has more than 40 years’ experience in building and delivering Telecom Networks domestically and internationally to more than 30 million people and delivering services to more than 2.5 million households throughout his career.
He joined Watch in early 2020, having come from his own consulting firm where he worked with start-ups, small- and medium Telecom/Internet of Things organizations on business direction, technology review, architecture, system planning, business planning, organizational planning and implementation, and the effective use of KPIs and metrics. Prior to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer at ConVergence where he helped deliver Fixed broadband services, VoIP, Merchant Processing and Network Hardware for the North American Wireless Internet Service Providers. Tommy was also employed with OMGFast a subsidiary of Cablevision; Charles Street Partners, LLC (CSP); CoreComm, Inc.; United Kingdom-based NTL; Cellular Communications of Puerto Rico and Cellular Communications, and other telecom- and telecom-focused companies.
Joel Dunifon
Chief Technology Officer
Joel Dunifon is responsible for making technology decisions that align with the business and strategy goals of Watch Communications. He works closely with the IT Department to make sure technologies adapt to innovations.
Joel previously was Chief Information Officer and oversaw all Data, Information Technology, and Network functions of the company, which includes Data Center and Server Infrastructure, Network Operations (Core, Access, and Edge), IT Helpdesk, Cyber Security, Software Development, and Data Analysis.
Joel has been with Watch Communications for nearly 20 years. He developed many of the software platforms used to provision and monitor the company’s customers and systems, and spent more than 10 years directly managing much of the Western Ohio network and helped grow the Internet subscriber base from just few hundred to the nearly 20,000 customers Watch serves today. Through the years, Joel oversaw the establishment of our Internet Technical Support, Network Operations, and IT Helpdesk departments.
Joel holds an Associate’s degree in Information Systems, majoring in Computer Programming, from Rhodes State College. He also holds an FAA commercial drone pilot certification, enjoys building and flying FPV drones, following developments in astronomy and space flight, and plays the guitar and sings on the worship team at his church. He lives in Bluffton, OH, with his wife and 5 sons.
Joel Dunifon
Chief Technology Officer
Joel Dunifon is responsible for making technology decisions that align with the business and strategy goals of Watch Communications. He works closely with the IT Department to make sure technologies adapt to innovations.
Joel previously was Chief Information Officer and oversaw all Data, Information Technology, and Network functions of the company, which includes Data Center and Server Infrastructure, Network Operations (Core, Access, and Edge), IT Helpdesk, Cyber Security, Software Development, and Data Analysis.
Joel has been with Watch Communications for nearly 20 years. He developed many of the software platforms used to provision and monitor the company’s customers and systems, and spent more than 10 years directly managing much of the Western Ohio network and helped grow the Internet subscriber base from just few hundred to the nearly 20,000 customers Watch serves today. Through the years, Joel oversaw the establishment of our Internet Technical Support, Network Operations, and IT Helpdesk departments.
Joel holds an Associate’s degree in Information Systems, majoring in Computer Programming, from Rhodes State College. He also holds an FAA commercial drone pilot certification, enjoys building and flying FPV drones, following developments in astronomy and space flight, and plays the guitar and sings on the worship team at his church. He lives in Bluffton, OH, with his wife and 5 sons.
Lindsey Gardner
Chief of Staff
Lindsey Gardner is the Chief of Staff at Watch Communications. She oversees strategic initiatives and projects within the Executive Team. She also oversees Marketing & Communications efforts and manages Administrative Staff while serving as a proxy for the CEO to the Executive and Management teams. Prior to joining Watch, Lindsey was the Regional Administrator for North and South America at Telrad Networks where she managed the North America office and oversaw marketing events supporting growth within the region. She began her career over 15 years ago serving as Executive Assistant to a number of CEOs in the Greater Cincinnati Area.
Lindsey and her family live in Northern Kentucky. She enjoys traveling and many outdoor activities, while also volunteering her time in ministry work and with local animal rescues.
Dennis Roell
Director of IT
Dennis Roell is the Director of IT for Watch Communications. He joined the company in February 2021 but had previously been an IT and Business Systems consultant for the company helping streamline processes and business applications. Dennis has extensive experience working with high-speed and high-volume manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics companies where he built and managed IT departments and helped streamline business process, revamp and connect core business systems, and improve user proficiency to accelerate the company’s ability to scale.
Dennis is a life-long resident of the Cincinnati, OH, area where he raised his daughter, learned and taught ballroom dance, and earned his Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo.
Dennis Roell
Chief Information Officer
Dennis Roell is the Chief Information Officer for Watch Communications. He joined the company in February 2021 but had previously been an IT and Business Systems consultant for the company helping streamline processes and business applications. Dennis has extensive experience working with high-speed and high-volume manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics companies where he built and managed IT departments and helped streamline business process, revamp and connect core business systems, and improve user proficiency to accelerate the company’s ability to scale.
Dennis is a life-long resident of the Cincinnati, OH, area where he raised his daughter, learned and taught ballroom dance, and earned his Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo.
Jamie Darpel
Marketing Director
Jamie Darpel is the Marketing Director for Watch Communications. She joined the company in November 2022 and is responsible for developing and leading the Marketing strategy to drive corporate growth and revenue goals. With 17 years of Marketing experience, Jamie has extensive knowledge in all areas of Marketing including audience profiling and segmentation, campaign performance analysis, content strategy, customer experience, digital and traditional marketing, program optimization, and brand story development.
Jamie lives in the Northern Kentucky area with her husband and 3 dogs. She has 4 adult children and 1 grandson. In her free time she enjoys traveling, camping, experiencing new foods and cultures, spending time with family and friends, and volunteering for her church.
She holds a B.A. in Organizational Leadership from Northern Kentucky University and is currently enrolled in their MBA program.