Former Wall Street analyst Tom Wolzien’s Video Call Center, a technology firm that enables television shows and networks to conduct live video call-ins much like talk radio programs, has named industry veteran Larry Thaler as its new CEO.

Thaler, a former technology vice president at NBC Universal, will be responsible for day-to-day activities at VCC. He will report to VCC founder and executive chairman Wolzien.

“For nearly three years, Larry has been crucial to the development of The Video Call Center, and its creation of a new type of efficient television content and the enabling technology,” Wolzien said in a statement. “Larry has a unique understanding of what we are trying to build – the professional broadcast technology and a new programming genre based on IP video that enables our customers to engage millennial audiences in every show using remotes-by-smartphone.  He has been crucial in perfecting our host-driven approach to live content creation that allows customers efficiently to open up new live content hours without the need for a production control room.  I look forward to continuing this dynamic relationship as Larry takes over line management of our company.”

Thaler most recently headed up his own consulting firm Positive Flux, which included customers like HBO Latin America Group, NBC Sports, Univision, Hearst Digital Media, Canoe Ventures, WAPA-TV and Clear Channel Media.

Thaler had served as an executive at NBC Universal, where he and his tech team were responsible for several business acquisitions, the build-out of Today’s street-level glass-enclosed studio, NBC’s Cable Network Operations Center, MSNBC’s production facilities, and the overhaul of NBC’s 30 Rock headquarters into a state-of-the-art HD production and distribution center.  He also led the establishment of new infrastructure for NBC’s digital media delivery platforms including technical leadership of the 2008 Olympics @Home effort. 

Thaler’s work has been honored with three Emmy awards for technical innovation -- for the 2006 and 2008 Olympic Games as well as a National Technical Emmy for NBC’s implementation of AFD technology.

Wolzien founded Video Call Center after receiving patent for the technology in 2014.  In the past several months the company launched its own over-the-top video service – TalkCenterAmerica.tv –  and introduced expanded capabilities for callers to use different IP video applications.