Dan Rule is shown at his retirement from Sierra Tel on May 1.
Community advocate and telecommunications executive Dan Rule retired from Sierra Tel on May 1 after 35 years. What a great run it was for Rule and the mountain areas he served.
A veteran of the United States Army from 1979 to 1983, Rule was deployed to Madigan Army Medical Center and the United States Medical Materiel Center in Germany. He was the recipient of the Army Accommodation Medal.
As a civilian, Rule has overseen enormous changes in technology.
He managed Golden State Cellular in Sonora for Sierra Tel for 17 years and is a past-president of the Sonora Rotary Club. This was back when pagers were the device of choice and cell phones were just becoming popular.
As Business Development Manager for Sierra Tel, Rule served as president of the marketing committee for the NTCA Rural Broadband Association. The organization is responsible for representing about 850 independent family-owned and community-based broadband companies in order to build and deliver connectivity to small towns across the country.
Retirement rules.
He also served as president of the National Cellular Association.
Rule’s responsibilities included lobbying in Washington, D.C. and at the state capital in Sacramento for improved essential services for rural areas like Eastern Madera County, Mariposa County and beyond.
More locally and recently, Rule is a past-president and former director of the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce where he was Man of the Year in 2020.
He is also a past-president of the Oakhurst Sierra Rotary Club where he was the 2019-20 Rotarian of the Year. At one time he was Assistant District Governor acting as a liaison between local clubs and the District Governor.
Rule serves as the director of the Eastern Madera and Mariposa counties VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) and chairman of the Eastern Madera County Emergency Preparedness Task Force.
The stalwart volunteer is past chair of the Eastern Madera County Economic Development
Dan Rule and Joelle Leder Rule are pictured outside Congressman Tom McClintock’s office in Washington, D.C.
Coalition and has continually lent his hand and rake to the Oakhurst River Parkway committee.
Rule plans to maintain his position as president of the board of directors for nonprofit Sierra Ambulance Service for now and said he will continue with Rotary.
Rule wed photographer and community supporter Joelle Leder in 2017. He is the father of two children and the couple is grandparents to two little ones.
Son JD Rule lives in Oakhurst and daughter Kendra Day in the Sonora area. Kendra and Dylan Day are the parents of three-and-one-year-old boys, Easton and Kaison. Rule shared he loves being their grandpa.
Beyond family his hobbies include hiking, backpacking and camping which he plans to pursue with renewed vigor in retirement. The new retiree said he enjoys spending time outdoors “while embracing new travel adventures and appreciating life’s simple, beautiful moments.”
Rule said his faith remains a steady foundation as he enters this new season of life.
Dan Rule, United States Army Spc 5, 1979-1983.
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