Racine, Wis (September 5, 2019)

Today the City of Racine announced that U.S. Cellular will be the premier sponsor of the city’s Smart Cities September Event Series. This sponsorship investment helps expand the scope of these events, ensuring that a greater number of people can attend and experience next-generation wireless solutions.

“We congratulate Mayor Mason and the City of Racine on their 2019 North American Smart Cities designation, and we are thrilled to be a part of their September Event Series,” said Jim Anetsberger, vice president of business sales at U.S. Cellular. “We have been providing wireless service to Racine since 1997, and we are committed to being an active community partner as they continue to innovate and spur economic growth with their smart cities initiatives.”

In addition to U.S. Cellular’s premiere sponsorship, the City of Racine is grateful for a range of sponsors and exhibitors, including Carthage College; CDW; CNHI; Cree Lighting; Gateway Technical College; Paychex; Racine County; S.C. Johnson; UW-Parkside; Badger Meter; Élan Lighting; and FirstNet Built with AT&T as well as in-kind support from the Smart Cities Council; Racine County Economic Development Corporation (RCEDC); Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce (RAMAC); and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

“These events are the first steps in our transformation to becoming a Smart City, and they wouldn’t be possible without the support of generous sponsors like U.S. Cellular. We are excited to have panelists and speakers coming to participate from as far away as Virginia and California,” noted Mayor Mason. “There are business and government leaders coming to attend from as far away as Aurora, Illinois to the south, Eau Claire, Wisconsin to the west, and Green Bay, Wisconsin to the north. “We look forward to collaborating with everyone who participates to ensure that we are making the best decisions for our community and to attract innovative companies to the City.”

The September series comprises three events expected to engage around 400 people from business, government, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations across the region:

• Sept. 11 and 12 – Smart Cities Conference where attendees can learn how smart city strategies can be a catalyst for economic growth for both businesses and residents.
• Sept. 19 – Smart Cities Council Readiness Workshop for Racine businesses, schools, nonprofits and government agencies to participate in planning the next stages of the city’s Smart Cities initiatives.
• Sept. 25 – Racine Innovation and Technology Gala to celebrate the city’s Smart Cities designation and honor the winners of the newly established Racine Innovation Awards.

In addition to participating in the Sept. 11 and 12 conference, U.S. Cellular will showcase its Internet of Things (IoT) and smart city technology and demonstrate how adding connectivity and deploying wireless solutions across existing infrastructure can provide advancements and efficiencies to transportation, utilities, manufacturing and other industries. The company will also bring several of its IoT vendors to highlight a variety of smart city technologies. Representatives from Accenture, Ericsson, LEC Inc., and Nokia will host exhibits displaying smart city solutions with a combination of live demonstrations and use cases that are specific to Racine industries, including a real-time fleet management solution from Ready Wireless using City of Racine vehicles. U.S. Cellular’s Chief Technology Officer, Mike Irizarry, will also participate in the workshop on Sept. 19.

To register, please visit www.RacineSmartCity.com. A modest fee is being charged to defray the cost of meals for the daylong events.

About Smart Cities September
The City of Racine recently competed with over 100 communities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States to earn a 2019 North American Smart Cities designation, becoming the first Wisconsin municipality and the smallest city ever to be awarded that honor.

About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier is building a stronger network with the latest 5G technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.

For more information, contact:
Shannon Powell, City of Racine
Phone: 262.636.9266
E-mail: Shannon.Powell@cityofracine.org

Katie Frey, U.S. Cellular
Cell: 773-355-3275
E-mail: Katie.Frey@uscellular.com