After 24 years of leadership, Brent Thomas, Founder and President of Automation NTH, is retiring on December 8th, 2023.
Brent’s journey as an entrepreneur started early, starting in high school with a landscaping business and continuing with a computer repair venture in college. His passion for creating innovative engineering solutions, developed through a degree from the University of Tennessee and roles at Wright Industries, eventually led him to establish Automation NTH in 1999.
Under Brent’s guidance, Automation NTH has grown into an industry leader and trusted partner for global manufacturing companies. During his time leading the company, the company has received notable accolades, including being named ‘System Integrator of the Year’ by Control Engineering
magazine, repeatedly listed among the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies, and securing certifications from both ISO and CSIA.
Brent’s commitment to “Excellence in Automation” and a philosophy to keep things simple have been the foundation of our success. Brent cultivated a strong culture at Automation NTH, marked by our six core values: customer-centric, curious, collaborative, committed, can-do, and caring. The supportive and dynamic work environment at the company has enabled it to earn multiple Great Place to Work awards based on employee feedback.
Brent’s leadership has been instrumental in delivering advanced solutions for the industry’s most complex automation challenges. He propelled Automation NTH to develop core strengths in high precision applications, coordinated motion, controls programming, machine vision, data tracking, and OEE optimization.
After transitioning from his operational role, Brent will continue to provide guidance through his seat on the Automation NTH Board of Directors. His legacy will endure at the company through the innovative solutions and strong industry partnerships he has fostered, and also through the values-driven culture he has instilled in our team. We are deeply appreciative of Brent’s vision, leadership, and the profound impact he has made on Automation NTH, our customers, and our partners.