OUR STORY
Rex and Patty Schick are the co-founders of Fiber Conduit Solutions, LLC. They have over 45 years of history and experience building and maintaining telecom networks as previous owners of K&W Underground, Inc., an Olathe, Kansas based turnkey telecom network service provider. That experience has confirmed the value in building additional vacant conduits during the construction buildout phase of projects.
For more than 20 years, Rex and Patty have facilitated the additions and sales of these vacant conduits in routes throughout the Kansas City Metro area. Almost all of the telecom providers in the Kansas City Metro area, as well as the local municipal governments, have participated in this program throughout the last 20+ years.
In 2021, Fiber Conduit Solutions, LLC was formed to provide the service that links available existing conduits with companies seeking to build out fiber-optic networks.
In their off time, Rex and Patty enjoy RV trips, spending time with family and their 2 grand-daughters, and hosting events at the home they build together 30+ years ago.
REX SCHICK
CEO | Co-Founder
As the former Owner and President/CEO of K&W Underground, Inc., Rex Schick has over 45 years of expertise in the telecom and utility construction industry. He began his career in 1976 with K&W, burying house services and other underground construction for a local CATV provider. He was later the leader in developing the method of “plowing” dual coax cables to replace the much slower and expensive method of open trenching, a first for the cable television industry.
In the 1984, Rex became Vice President of K&W Underground, Inc., and grew the company to over 40 employees, primarily specializing in cable TV-related construction, cabling, and maintenance. Rex then led the formation of K&W Underground, Inc., first voice and data internal wiring division. With the formation of this division, K&W Underground, Inc., was able to offer to their customers what no other contractor in the area could; complete installation and maintenance of outside plant, internal communications of voice, data and video with copper, coax, and or fiber.
Since the 1990s, Rex has been an industry leader in non-invasive construction techniques for underground damage preventions, and has dedicated his time these past 3 decades to the leadership of damage prevention organizations. He has humbly held multiple board positions including Co-Chairman of the Common Ground Alliance, Board of Directors for the Kansas One Call and Steering Committee with the KCC. Rex is a member of the Power and Communications Contractors Association, and also serves on their National Government Affairs Committee. He remains active and still holds leadership roles within these organizations to this day.
After Rex became President in 1998, K&W Underground, Inc., experienced double-digit sales growth. Point to point fiber optic construction projects including metro and long haul, power conduit installation, mapping/design services and home convenience products were added to the services being offered. In addition, Rex had maintained K&W Underground, Inc., unique position of providing wiring, construction and maintenance services to the cable TV, telephone, communication companies, and home and apartment developers in the Kansas City metro area and surrounding regions.
In 2009, Rex joined Vistage, an executive business group that helps business owners be better leaders and citizens. This education helped Rex build better controls, processes, employee engagement and retention and a continued strong financial footing.
Throughout his time in the telecom industry, Rex identified, developed and implemented the concept of installing extra conduits during the construction process for future use. This concept has helped numerous municipalities, service providers and telecom companies grow their networks with greatly reduced costs.
Rex enjoys playing in his golf and basketball leagues, watches the KU basketball, Royals and Chiefs religiously, and always has a Ford sitting in the driveway. You will often hear him say how he lives by the golden rule of "treat others as you wish to be treated," and now everyday he enjoys "livin' the dream." He believes that his success in life and the success of his valued customer relationships is attributed to the strong values he holds in responsibility, honesty and hard work.