Choice CEO Tony Shepherd was so excited he was dancing in the street – literally.
Shepherd was waving a placard and dancing to driving rhythms as his company opened a new store in the Sunshine Mall on St. Croix’s west end.
Choice Communications, the 10-year-old, locally owned wireless phone and Internet service provider, was also celebrating an anniversary, he added, the first anniversary of the company launching its WiMax 4G wireless network. Shepherd called it "the biggest Internet pipeline to the U.S." available in the territory, and added the company is in talks to enhance that service soon.
Cell phones, smart phones, wireless Internet and other revolutions in telecommunications are changing the world in ways few could have imagined just a decade ago, when the company was first starting up, Shepherd said, and there’s no end in sight to how the technology will continue to grow.
"Now you have direct contact, all of the time, to anyone you want, anywhere you want," he said.
Shepherd said Choice owes its success to its customers.
"It’s a local company being supported by local people. The people from the community are making this possible," he said.
The store opening in Sunshine Mall also was the fulfillment of a promise, he added. "We’re bringing Choice to Frederiksted, just like we said we would."
He pointed out that the store also brings six more jobs to the west end, but that for the opening he also brought in personnel from other stores throughout the territory.
Throughout the day there was a constant stream of interested onlookers coming into the store. The activities included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with V.I. Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen wielding the scissors, giveaways, music and Frisbee demonstrations by champion Carlos “Pipo” Lopez of Puerto Rico.
