Oct 14, 2026 | posted by Conner Williams
After 37 years with Canby Telephone
Association, Canby Telcom, and DirectLink, Central Office Technician Tony
Heckard is retiring, bringing to a close a career defined by technical
expertise, continuous learning, and a willingness to help others.
While Tony
joined CTA Communications in June 1989, his telecommunications journey actually
began a decade earlier. Fresh out of vocational-technical school in
Pennsylvania, he started working with an independent telephone contractor
installing equipment on Strowger step switches for telephone companies across
Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Indiana. After a Bell System strike left him
unemployed, he joined the United States Navy, where he continued building the
skills and experience that would shape the rest of his career.
Along the
way, Tony witnessed some of the most dramatic technological changes in
communications history. From rotary-dial telephone systems and
electromechanical switches to software-powered networks, fiber optics,
cloud-based platforms, and wireless technology, he has seen it all firsthand.
“I have had
the privilege to witness and experience the rapid amount of changes in the
telecom industry and the technology industry as well,” Tony said.
His first
exposure to fiber optics came during Navy training, where he watched Bell Labs
engineers develop some of the earliest fiber-optic cable splicing technologies.
At the time, coming from a world of copper wiring, soldering, and wire-wrap
connections, the emerging technology seemed revolutionary.
After
nearly nine years of active and reserve Navy service, Tony worked briefly for
Phillips Electronics before pursuing a job closer to home. That opportunity
came when he met Dave Fisher, manager of CTA Communications.
“I went in
and talked to Dave Fisher because I wanted a job close to home in Canby and was
hired on the spot,” Tony recalled. “The rest is history.”
When Tony
arrived in 1989, Canby Telephone Association looked very different from today.
CTA Communications handled low-voltage systems, operated a Radio Shack
franchise, and sold Motorola pagers and cellular phones. Tony began by
installing security, fire alarm, and access control systems before moving into
telephone key systems and voice mail systems. The company also operated North
Willamette Telecom, a cable television division, and maintained its own
construction crews for trenching and boring. At the time, the organization
employed more than 100 people.
Of the many
colleagues he worked alongside during his career, only two current employees
have been with the organization nearly as long as Tony: Brett Davis and Gene
DeVore. The three share another distinction as well—they all got their start
under Dave Fisher's leadership.
Throughout
his career, Tony played key roles in several major projects that helped shape
the services DirectLink provides today. Among the accomplishments he is most
proud of was being part of the team that installed the Calix C7 network,
enabling DirectLink to deliver bundled telephone, internet, and television
services.
“By the
way, we were the first company in Oregon to do this,” he noted.
He also
helped lead four major voice-switch conversions, migrating customers from
legacy systems in Canby, Mount Angel, Beavercreek, and Clear Creek onto
DirectLink’s Metaswitch platform. In addition, Tony was instrumental in
developing DirectLink’s Hosted PBX offering, helping evaluate equipment, build
provisioning processes, and coordinate implementation across departments.
For Tony,
the work of a Central Office Technician was never simply about installing
equipment.
“It’s not
about building widgets,” he said. “It’s a cautious job where double and triple
checks are necessary because one wrong keystroke or click can knock out a whole
system or server and severely impact our customers.”
The role
demanded technical knowledge, attention to detail, and a commitment to lifelong
learning. It also offered what Tony enjoyed most: solving complex problems and
collaborating with others to bring projects to completion.
Looking
back, Tony says one reason he stayed with the organization for so many years is
that working in telecommunications was more than a job—it was a lifelong dream.
As a young
boy in Pennsylvania, he vividly remembers following a telephone installer
around his family's newly built home. The installer patiently explained how the
phones worked and even let young Tony participate in testing the line.
“From that
day forward I wanted to be a ‘Telephone Man,’” he said.
For a brief
time, the moon landing inspired thoughts of becoming an astronaut, but poor
eyesight closed that door. So he returned to what he now calls “Plan A.”
“In 1989 I
performed my moon landing at Canby Telephone,” he said. “Dream come true.”
His advice
comes with the perspective that only decades of experience can provide.
“Sometimes
the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the hill,” he reflected.
“Sometimes you have to water and fertilize and pull out the weeds to keep your
side of the grass greener.”
As
retirement begins, Tony is focused on new adventures. Travel is high on the
list, and so is one of his favorite hobbies: fishing. Ever the lifelong
learner, he recently hired a guide in Key Largo, Florida, with one goal—to
learn. The trip resulted in eight different fish species, new boating and
navigation skills, and plenty of knowledge to bring home.
His advice
to aspiring anglers is simple: find a reputable guide and treat the experience
as an opportunity to learn.
When asked
what he'd like colleagues to remember most about his career, Tony's answer was
characteristically straightforward.
“I was the
guy that was always willing to help out. No matter what.”
After
nearly four decades of service, innovation, and dedication, that may be the
legacy coworkers remember best.
To the
employees of Canby Broadband Services and DirectLink, Tony leaves one final
message:
“Fair winds
and following seas.”
Congratulations, Tony, and thank you for 37 years of outstanding service to the DirectLink cooperative. The entire DirectLink team wishes you all the best in retirement and in whatever dream comes next!
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