Biamp Systems this week announced that Jody Thomas will join the company as the new director of business development. In this role, Thomas will direct and integrate the efforts of the company’s sales channel, sales and product management teams and strategic technology partnerships.

I have known Jody for over 20 years and his hiring by Biamp signals a CLEAR direction for Biamp — they will likely be entering both the control systems and video routing markets — this is part of Jody’s expertise. Jody and I were partners a few years after I started my business but most recently, he was THE driver of the Kramer Control platform.

Most recently Jody was president of Emergent Communications Technology, a company he founded in 2007 to focus on emerging vertical technology applications and channel strategies for manufacturers in the commercial AV market. Through Emergent, and previously as partner and CEO of Kayye Consulting, he has spent the last 21 years serving as a business and product development consultant encompassing many aspects of AV and IT systems integration, business management, market analysis, facilities design, product support, development and training.

Of course, Biamp is here.