Tampa telecom firm Phonism shifts leadership roles

Phonism, an organization with an automated platform focused on SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) device management solutions is shaking things up from the top with three leadership transitions.

Steve Lazaridis, who founded the company back in 2012, is assuming the role of president and chief technology officer. Prior to starting Phonism, he worked in several contracting roles as a software engineer. 

"We are at an exciting point in our journey. This leadership realignment is a strategic enhancement of our core capabilities, equipping us further to drive growth and deliver exceptional value to our customers,” says Lazaridis in a statement. “It directly aligns with our vision of Phonism continuing to lead device management innovation for the UCaaS industry."

Greg Difraia, who previously served as chief technology officer, is now appointed CEO. Before joining Phonism a little over a year ago, he worked as CTO at Scality and Dell EMC, and as VP of strategic alliances at Turbonomic. 

Finally, James L. Lee is transitioning out of his role as COO to focus on his role on the board of directors. Both positions were held concurrently for almost two years.

The shifts are anticipation of changes coming to the telecommunications industry. Companies are rapidly shifting to cloud-based communications via UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) platforms. Industry estimates project an increase in cloud adoption from 41.5% to 70.5% in the next five years.