Columbia-based Socket Internet is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Socket was founded in 1994 and moved its headquarters to its "new" location on Columbia's Clark Lane in 2007. Socket’s network operations center operates an extensive network throughout Missouri, featuring redundant connections to the internet from both Kansas City and St. Louis. Socket serves hundreds of cities, including Columbia, Jefferson City, Ashland and many small towns like Moberly, Boonville, Sturgeon, Centralia and Sedalia. Socket president and co-owner Carson Coffman joined host Fred Parry in-studio Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." Mr. Coffman grew up in north Missouri's Callao, a farming community in Macon County. He graduated with Mizzou with a degree in civil engineering and was working 80-hour workweeks before he joined Socket part-time. He eventually went full-time and is now Socket's president and co-owner. Mr. Coffman tells listeners that the biggest challenge Socket faces is access to capital. Socket's home service offers television, phone and internet. Mr. Coffman says only about 50 percent of residents in Boone County have a sufficient level of high-speed internet. He also says 60 to 70 percent of customers get Socket's one-gig service. Mr. Coffman emphasizes the importance of serving everyone, including rural farming communities:

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