NATCO announces that Steven L. Smith will soon begin work as NATCO business office manager. Smith has worked as Mountain Home division manager for CenturyTel for 11 years.

Steven G. Sanders, president and general manager of NATCO, said he was very pleased to announce that Smith would be joining the company as of Feb. 1. Smith's duties will include data processing, accounting, customer service, sales and marketing.

"I am very excited to be at NATCO," said Smith, who also noted his desire to continue his career in the Mountain Home area. "I look forward to meeting the employees and helping them provide the excellent service that NATCO customers expect."

Smith graduated from high school in Shawnee, Okla. He began his employment with Century Telephone Co. at Monroe, La. in the engineering department of the corporate office, then handled the firm's efforts with the Rural Utility Services and contract administration for 10 years before coming to the Mountain Home Division. The division includes Mountain Home, Hardy, Pocohantas and Monette, and has 90,000 access lines.

Professionally, Smith has just completed a term as president of the Arkansas Telecommunications Association. In the community, Smith serves on the Mountain Home

Smith enjoys the pastimes of duck hunting and golfing.

NATCO is an independent, family-owned company providing telephone service to a 658 square-mile area in portions of Marion and Boone Counties. The NATCO Technologies Division provides long distance telephone service and Internet services to residents throughout the Twin Lakes Area, including Mountain Home, Yellville, and Harrison.