Pioneer Mission, Vision and Value Statements
	Built upon the values of loyalty, fellowship and service, the Telephone Pioneers of America is the world’s largest industry-related volunteer organization. Founded in 1911, the Pioneer organization is comprised of dozens of chapters operating in the United States and Canada. The nearly 620,000 members of the Pioneers are current employees and retirees of telecommunications companies. The Verizon Corporation, through a grant from the Verizon Foundation, sponsors more than 130,000 of these members, who are organized into 17 Chapters across the United States. Their primary service focus is education. During the past 12 months, they have volunteered more than two million hours in their communities. The Telephone Pioneers of America had its beginnings as a list of names scribbled on a pad of yellow paper. In 1910, the telephone was 34 years old -- old enough to have one generation of pioneers who had grown up with the telephone as the telephone had grown up with them.

Henry W. Pope, special agent of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, started to wonder about these early telephone people. How many were there? Where were they now? In a moment, perhaps sentimental, he suggested to Charles R. Truex, his office associate at 15 Dey Street, New York City, that they jot down the names of all they remembered. Interest quickened with each name added.They enlisted the aid of the famous inventor, Thomas B. Doolittle, who was then retired. Soon the reservoir of personal memory was not enough. So the list was mailed, in the form of a round robin, to other long-service people who signed it and passed it along. Having secured a number of names in this way, Messrs. Pope and Truex presented the list to Theodore N. Vail, president of AT&T. He was impressed and pleased. He suggested that perhaps a gathering of old timers might be mutually enjoyable and instructive. President Vail’s support gave the originators the needed encouragement and direction. And, in his travels around the country, Mr. Pope had definitely found a desire for some type of society for veteran telephone people.

Taking their cue from Mr.Vail, Pope, Truex and Doolittle went on with an organization plan. They drafted a formal membership paper, which was taken personally to all the early telephone people they could reach. Two lists were circulated and signed by 159 people. A letter was also sent to telephone people at distant locations. By this time, the idea of who qualified as a pioneer in telephony was becoming crystallized. The tentative requirement of 25 years service was not indicated on the round robin letter and several people with only 21 years of service signed up. Since 25 was admittedly tentative, the requirement was reduced rather than lose the valuable contribution of these people to the Pioneer organization.

The idea of 21 years also had the benefit of Western tradition – the concept of reaching the estate of manhood. With 21 years experience, a telephone man had served his apprenticeship. Having proven his capability and loyalty, he secured the mantle of maturity around his shoulders. So strong was the sentiment attached to this concept that it remained unchanged until 1975 when the requirement was dropped and reduced over the years until now there is no service requirement. It was the unqualified intention that all telephone people with the required number of years be admitted, regardless of specific company affiliation. And so it was, and still is, that employees from the many independent telephone companies of the United States and government telephone companies of Canada are welcomed to the membership along with Bell System employees. By October 1911, there were 439 members. The first meeting of the Telephone Pioneers was held on November 2 - 3, 1911, in Boston, with 244 members attending – more than half of the total membership. During this assembly, the keystones of fellowship, loyalty and service were set down and the constitution adopted. The first president elected to head the new organization was Theodore N. Vail, who was re-elected every year until his death in 1920. A notable speaker at the first meeting was Alexander Graham Bell, who was issued Pioneer membership card Number 1.

Since that first meeting, Telephone Pioneers have come together from all over Canada and the United States for a yearly conclave, that is, except the years during World War I and World War II. The Telephone Pioneer Association is currently headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Building on the keystones of fellowship, loyalty and service, the Pioneers have reached beyond their own membership and into their communities to carry on thousands of environmental and community service programs. Today, Pioneer's greatest emphasis is on education. Each year, on November 2, the Telephone Pioneers of America celebrate their birthday. On that day, or during the week of November 2, Pioneers all over the United States and Canada celebrate Pioneer Day and Pioneer Week.