Mounting assembly for a backplane communication system. The mounting assembly includes a retention collet that has a collet base and a coupling arm that extends from the collet base. The collet base includes a passage therethrough. The collet base is configured to be mounted to a backplane such that the passage extends through the backplane and the coupling arm extends from the collet base away from the backplane. The mounting assembly also includes a spacer member having a member cavity that receives the coupling arm when the spacer member is mounted to the backplane. The coupling arm is held in a locked position when engaged by a guide pin that has been inserted through the passage of the collet base and into the member cavity. The retention collet and the spacer member are interlocked when the coupling arm is in the locked position.