Thad Langford has a history of building transformative businesses within both Fortune 500 companies and early stage ventures.
Most recently Thad served as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Zave Networks, an early stage technology venture dedicated to creating a service that closes the loop between online/mobile digital advertising and the sale of the product in brick and mortar retail stores. He redefined the go to market approach and grew the company to position Zave as the leading digital incentive platform provider. This led to Zave's acquisition by Google in September of 2011.
Prior to his position at Zave, Thad led several different businesses during his eight year tenure at Sprint in the areas of wireless data, wireless wholesale and local services. Among his accomplishments, he rapidly grew Sprint's wireless wholesale business unit which led the industry in the MVNO and M2M space. He also spearheaded business development efforts to forge partnerships in the wireless data space, culminating in industry-leading products and services in music, imaging, multimedia, gaming, location and content. In addition, he managed Sprint's Innovation program to identify and commercialize disruptive products/services in areas such as mobile commerce and co-founded Sprint Nextel Ventures to invest in game changing start-up companies.
Thad is immersed in Kansas City's entrepreneurial community. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of several, rapidly developing technology start-up companies such as Leap2, AgLocal, and RealLife 101. In addition he is the Entrepreneur in Residence for OpenAir Equity Partners, a local a venture capital and private equity firm focused on the explosive growth of mobility and the industries impacted by wireless technology.
Thad earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BSBA in Marketing from the University of Arizona. He resides in Leawood, KS and enjoys his life outside of work with his wife, Susan, and their daughter, Bryson. |
