EXHIBIT 24
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                              POWER OF ATTORNEY


        The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each of Steven J.
   Shirar, Steven L. Childers, Matt Smith and Marcia Hussong and Peter L.
   Rossiter, Lauralyn G. Bengel, Alexander B. Young and Paul A. Bernacki
   of Schiff Hardin LLP, the Company's counsel, as the undersigned's true
   and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

        (1)  execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
             undersigned's capacity as an officer, director and/or a
             stockholder owning more than 10% of Consolidated
             Communications Holdings, Inc.'s (the "Company") common
             stock, Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16 of the
             Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
             Act"), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

        (2)  do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
             undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete
             and execute any such Forms 3, 4 or 5 and timely file such
             forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and
             any stock exchange or similar authority; and

        (3)  take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection
             with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such
             attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest
             of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
             understood that the documents executed by such
             attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to
             this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
             contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact
             may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

        The undersigned hereby grants to each attorney-in-fact full power
   and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
   requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of
   the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and
   purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present,
   with full power of such substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying
   and confirming all that each attorney-in-fact, or each
   attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or
   cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights
   and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the
   foregoing attorney-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request
   of the undersigned, is not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any
   of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
   Exchange Act.

        This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
   until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5







   with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in
   securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the
   undersigned in a signed writing delivered to any of the foregoing
   attorneys-in-fact.

        The undersigned hereby revokes any Power of Attorney granted by
   the undersigned prior to the date hereof to agents or employees of the
   Company with respect to the matters set forth in paragraphs (1), (2)
   and (3) above.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of
   Attorney to be executed as of this 2nd day of November, 2009.



                                      By:  /s/ Steven L. Childers
                                           -------------------------
                                           Name:  Steven L. Childers