MINBURN, Iowa — Debra Lucht, the chief executive officer of Minburn Communications and a longtime leader in Perry-area business affairs, retired from her leadership role April 7, the cable company announced Tuesday.
Lucht will be replaced in the top job by Douglas Pals, who joined the company as general manager in September 2024.
Minburn Communications has seen significant growth n Lucht’s leadership. She was recently awarded the Lifetime Leadership Award from the Iowa Communications Alliance in recognition of her long-standing service to the industry at various levels.
Lucht led the company’s transition to fiber-optic technology, extending and expanding digital services to Woodward, Minburn, Perry, rural Adel rural Dallas Center and parts of rural Waukee.
In recent years, Minburn Communications won significant funding through the Iowa Broadband Grant program, leading to projects that are expected to be complete in 2025 and 2026.
Lucht has also been deeply involved in economic development at various levels in the communities Minburn Communications serves. She is past president of the Perry Economic Development group, and she will continue her work with the state’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative and Leadership Iowa Board of Directors.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead this remarkable organization,” Lucht said in announcing her retirement. “Thank you for your belief in our mission and for allowing me to be part of this remarkable chapter. I leave knowing the future of the company is in excellent hands.”
Pals has extensive experience in Iowa’s independent communications industry. Prior to joining Minburn Communications, he spent four years as CEO of Farmers Mutual Telephone Co. in Stanton and 22 years as founder and CEO of Re:Sourceful Communications, a marketing firm. Pals has also worked with Jefferson Telecom from 1994 to 1998 and Alpine Communications from 1998 to 2002. His extensive economic development experience started with the Spencer Main Street Co. in 1990.
