Title: Retired Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Company: Installs Inc. (Now NAL Group)
Location: Buffalo, New York, United States
Thomas Hunt, Retired Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Installs Inc. (now NAL Group), has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements and leadership in television signal distribution, including Cable and Satellite Technologies, and Management.
Mr. Hunt’s distinguished career is marked by a series of pioneering roles that have shaped the landscape of cable and satellite television. In 1994, he co-founded Installs Inc. in Buffalo, New York, alongside his business partner and former Harvard Business School roommate Lee Hess. Over more than two decades as the chief executive officer, Mr. Hunt guided the company through dramatic industry shifts until its sale in 2016. He considers the founding and development of Installs Inc. his proudest professional achievement due to the total responsibility it entailed. During challenging periods in the company’s early years, he and Mr. Hess occasionally forwent their own pay or injected personal capital to meet payroll obligations.
Under Mr. Hunt’s strategic leadership, Installs Inc. survived the bankruptcies of major clients, such as Circuit City and Radio Shack, by adapting its service offerings to evolving market demands. As the satellite installation business became commoditized, he pivoted the company toward home theater and appliance installations. The business scaled to serve nearly every major retailer in the country, including The Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement, HHGregg and DirecTV. Notably, Best Buy Company became its largest client. Before the launch of Geek Squad, Installs Inc. managed Best Buy’s in-home computer work and trained early Geek Squad personnel. Despite losing some business to Geek Squad’s internal expansion, Installs Inc. endured and continued to thrive under subsequent ownerships, a testament to Mr. Hunt’s vision and adaptability.
Before launching Installs Inc., Mr. Hunt was the vice president of a large independently owned cable system in Buffalo that served more than 100,000 subscribers. His tenure in Buffalo began in 1975 after gaining valuable experience as the general manager of a cable system in Fort Lee, New Jersey, from 1972 to 1974. In Fort Lee, an urban market with access to HBO and New York Rangers broadcasts, Mr. Hunt oversaw the construction and management of a new cable system at a time when cable television was still an emerging industry.
Mr. Hunt’s entry into the cable industry followed an initial exploration of direct sales after business school graduation when he joined a consulting firm tasked with launching door-to-door sales programs for early cable franchises near Boston and later across North Carolina and Louisiana. Within six months, he was offered general manager responsibilities for a new system in Fort Lee. This opportunity set him on a path toward long-term involvement with cable television as it rapidly expanded nationwide.
Beyond management, Mr. Hunt’s expertise extends to the deep technical knowledge of television signal distribution through both cable and satellite technologies. He witnessed firsthand the monumental shift from wire-based systems to satellite technology that eliminated geographic constraints on service delivery. Recognizing this opportunity upon returning from California in 1994, Mr. Hunt partnered with Mr. Hess to acquire DirecTV distribution rights across more than 10 states under the name Digivision before selling the venture to Pegasus Communications in 1997. The subsequent focus on installation services led directly to the creation of Installs Inc., which he positioned at the forefront of digital television advancements.
Mr. Hunt’s academic foundation included earning a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and computer science from Dartmouth College in 1969 and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1971. The analytical rigor developed during his studies proved invaluable as he navigated complex technological transitions within his field while building successful enterprises from the ground up.
Throughout his career, Mr. Hunt maintained active involvement with key industry organizations, such as NCTA – The Internet & Television Association (formerly National Cable & Telecommunications Association), the Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing, the National Association of Home Builders and the Consumer Technology Association (formerly Consumer Electronics Association). He also delivered presentations at national conferences and served on panels addressing challenges unique to localized cable networks defined by franchise agreements. Mr. Hunt’s engagement with home-building organizations included educating builders about pre-wiring homes for cable infrastructure, a forward-thinking approach that anticipated consumer needs.
In addition to his corporate engagement and achievements in the industry, Mr. Hunt played a significant role in shaping investment strategies for regional economic development as the chair of the Western New York Impact Investment Fund since 2018. As a founding investor and board member of this quasi-for-profit initiative established with local businesses, banks and major foundations, he helped structure a capital fund targeting businesses across an eight-county region centered around Buffalo. The fund evaluates prospective investments using a scorecard measuring commercial viability alongside social impact criteria such as workforce development, diversity and environmental practices.
Mr. Hunt’s commitment to community advancement is further reflected in his board membership with Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc., an educational nonprofit supporting students from early childhood through college graduation by providing comprehensive support systems and tuition funding for qualifying graduates of Buffalo schools. Mr. Hunt has worked diligently to help secure long-term sustainability for this organization through endowment growth rather than annual fundraising cycles, a model he hopes will expand into other regional cities.
Crediting much of his success to his upbringing in Oak Park, Illinois, where his family placed strong emphasis on education and encouraged him to pursue opportunities beyond his hometown, this support emboldened Mr. Hunt to embrace challenges throughout his career and shaped his approach to leadership by investing in people and fostering personal growth among employees. His professional journey has been characterized by adaptability amid rapid technological change, including the rise of digital equipment over analog systems, and by humility regarding individual recognition for collective achievements within his companies.
Looking ahead, Mr. Hunt intends to focus on philanthropic efforts aimed at securing sustainable funding models for educational nonprofits so these organizations can maximize their impact without reliance on annual fundraising campaigns or donor cycles. His legacy has been defined by innovation within television signal distribution technologies, steadfast leadership through industry upheavals, commitment to education-driven community development, humility regarding personal accolades and unwavering dedication to family values rooted in Midwestern traditions.
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