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May 12, 2015 | Tom Ballard

Bodie reflects on TekLinks’ acquisition of Claris Networks

TekLinksBy Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer, Pershing Yoakley & Associates, P.C.

We first met Larry Bodie, then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Claris Networks, LLC, nearly three years ago when we posted our first profile of him on teknovation.biz.

During that interview, we were struck by the way he described his role at the company. In his mind, CEO meant “Culture Enforcement Officer.” Fast forward almost 36 months, and it is easy to see how the decision to be acquired by Birmingham-based TekLinks, Inc. was influenced by cultural similarities.

“We’ve known these guys since 2008,” Bodie told us. “They are great folks and good friends. I’m tickled that I get to do this with my friends.”

With the acquisition that was announced yesterday (Claris Acquisition), he becomes TekLinks Senior Vice President of Tennessee. It’s a role and a transaction with which he is very comfortable.

Claris Networks provides cloud computing, managed services and IT support to small and medium-sized businesses across the Southeast from offices in Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga. TekLinks is a leading service provider of integrated business IT solutions throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Gulf South.

“I did not have to do it,” Bodie said of the acquisition. “I wanted to do it.”

TekLinks is roughly five times the size of Claris in top line revenue. Through the merger, he says the two companies will have a great base from which to grow.

“This transaction will allow us to apply a complete end-to-end solution for any size business,” Bodie explained. “We complement each other very well.”

He also sees it as a great win for the customers of Claris Networks, the employees, and his partners.

“We are in it for the long run,” Bodie says about himself and former Claris Networks Co-Owner Dave Sagraves who also joins TekLinks. No doubt that view is influenced by the cultural similarities that he sees.


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