An innovator enabling a digital future — connecting people, technology and experiences, where and when it matters most: Diversified

Diversified connects people, technology and experiences, where and when it matters most. From connecting people to the technology that empowers their relationships and creates workplace community, to connecting audiences to the content and experiences they seek in the most compelling, powerful, and impactful ways imaginable, Diversified leverages the best in technology and on-going advisory services to transform businesses. Its comprehensive suite of solutions are engineered to help clients build connections that make a difference – whether by inspiring viewers, engaging associates, motivating audiences, or streamlining and safeguarding operations.

Founded in 1993, Diversified has evolved into industry leading technology solutions provider delivering innovative digital media, collaborative, broadcasting, electronic security, and OTT solutions to a global clientele across a wide array of markets including financial, media and entertainment, enterprise, energy, higher education, technology, healthcare, hospitality, government, and more.

Today, Diversified is a company known best for its:

• Passionate, creative, and curious people who have a deep understanding of technology as well as clients’ business realities;
• Ability to give clients the insight and foresight to help them make the right decisions to match their business needs and strategy;
• Expertise in solving challenging and intricate problems for clients so that they can have – and deliver – a seamless, integrated experience;
• Incomparable scale of offerings that allow it to deliver solutions matching any size ambition; and
• Human-centric approach and understanding of how people process and engage with information and content.

In July 2023, Diversified unveiled a new tagline: “Create the Unforgettable” which conveys a powerful message about its commitment to exceptionalism, customer satisfaction, innovation, and long-term success.

In conversation with Eric Hutto, CEO of Diversified

Q. What about Diversified most excites you?

I am most excited about the work our associates do to create immersive experiences that help our clients realize their ambitions. We take on challenging and intricate problems for our clients so that they can have – and deliver – a seamless, integrated experience. It’s these types of client problems our associates love to solve and they do it extraordinarily well because they understand technology, its application, and our clients’ business realities. When our clients trust us to bring us along on their journey from ideation to execution, everyone wins.

Q. Diversified has undergone some major transformation since you became the CEO in 2022. Do you have any advice for building trust during times of change?

Building trust among associates and clients during times of major business change is critical. As leaders, it’s our job to set boundaries and make decisions that align with the company vision and values. Being a trusted partner to your employees or clients sometimes means telling them no, but saying no is not about being rigid or dismissive of other’s ideas—it’s about making strategic choices that will prioritize the organization’s long-term success. These tough conversations require empathy, respect, and a focus on finding the right solution.

One of the quickest ways to lose trust with associates or clients is though over-committing and under-delivering. As a leader, I see it as my role to ensure we are hyper-focused on setting realistic, attainable goals. To do that we must know ourselves – our strengths and weaknesses. This awareness allows us to offer feasible goals and follow-through on our commitments which builds trust and shows our associates and clients that we’re committed to their success.

Q. How do you attract talent to maintain the quality for the various services that you offer?

Diversified has two key differentiators when it comes to getting the best and brightest talent. First, professionals in our industry are drawn to our interesting clients and the outcomes we deliver for them. As one example, the groundbreaking (and award-winning) work we did with FOX Sports to implement an innovative new broadcast system that would be transportable via airplane, rapidly deployable, and cutting-edge flexible. Fox Sports partnered with us to validate the technical and financial feasibility of their concept then trusted us to develop and test the dual first-of-their-kind 2110 flypack broadcast systems. We are so proud to have been part of the team that helped Fox Sports bring its visionary ideas to life.

Secondly, a lot of the roles we need do not need to be tied to an actual office location. That means that we can hire the best talent for the role and not be limited to one geography or another. We can draw from anywhere because of our remote work. We are not bound to a city or location and can draw on talent with our flexible work arrangements.

When hiring we recognize certain tasks can be taught—we look for individuals who show passion, curiosity and a desire to work for a progressive company that’s doing really cool things for an impressive set of Fortune 500 clients.

Q. How do you deal with the “never-ending change” in digital transformation?

Over the last year, Diversified executed on a business strategy to develop a deeper understanding of our clients’ business challenges and the capabilities and solutions necessary to meet their expected outcomes. By diving deep into our client challenges and what other industries are facing, we are able to stay ahead of the curve.

In addition, Diversified is incredibly lucky to have some of the industry’s thought leaders on our team and they are constantly checking the pulse of our clients and partners to learn about the latest industry trends.

Q. What are the major benefits of working with a managed services provider like Diversified?

Our clients typically have enough staff to run the day-to-day, but not always enough resources to dedicate people to focus on the future. That’s where we can really be of value—by helping them understand where the market is headed and what will be required for them to stay competitive.

Flexibility is an outcome of a managed services outsourcing engagement. When our clients approach us, they are often constrained by resources, budget, and time. Working with us enables our clients to tap into the depth and breadth of our expertise and scale. Clients gain access to a flexible labor pool that they can consume as needed. With outcome-based solutions, those resource constraints go away entirely. Beyond just the labor, flexibility is enhanced further by offering greater choice in design. With access to our experience and best practices in solving similar industry challenges outsourcing delivers tailored results faster and drive higher value solutions in the long run.

Q. As a managed service provider, how do you help your clients predict project costs?

The key to helping our clients predict costs starts with our deep understanding of their business and what their strategic priorities are. Once we understand that we can get to the point of looking at solutions that help them meet their needs. We have a focus on getting to know the ins and outs of every client’s business--we want to ensure we understand their operating model, technical requirements, and desired business outcomes. That understanding, paired with our own thought leadership on future technologies and how best to integrate them, helps us to meet our clients’ requirements and desired outcomes. Based on the requirements and desired outcomes, we develop a detailed cost breakdown that includes labor, hardware, licensing, and support.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting, innovative things on the way?

The future for Diversified is bright -- we will continue to work on challenging and intricate problems for our clients so that they can deliver unforgettable experiences for their employees and customers. We always have our eye on the latest trends and are narrowly focused on what our associates and clients need and value most. I expect Diversified to continue to grow with passionate, creative people who enjoy solving problems – from ideation and onto execution with the latest technology solutions.

Meet the leader charting the future of Diversified

Eric Hutto is a performance-driven leader with 30 years of experience propelling growth through digital transformation. Eric is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Diversified, a leading global technology solutions provider that connects people, technology and experiences — where and when it matters most. With extensive experience in both domestic and international markets, Eric believes people are the backbone of all great companies and he takes a human-centric approach to growth strategies and building resiliency.

Prior to joining Diversified, Eric held senior leadership positions for Unisys, Dell Technologies, The Home Depot, and Bearing Point (formerly KPMG). He regularly speaks on topics such as digital transformation, business disruption and models, human-centric sales strategies, and is frequently published on Forbes.com.

Eric is passionate about giving back. He serves as a board member for the Ryan Palmer Foundation and is an active member of the American Heart Association’s Executive Team and the International Committee. He attended Emory University’s Executive Leadership Program, is a Six Sigma Black Belt, and a graduate from The University of Arkansas with a degree in Economics and Finance.

“The key to helping our clients predict costs starts with our deep understanding of their business and what their strategic priorities are. Once we understand that we can get to the point of looking at solutions that help them meet their needs.”

“Building trust among associates and clients during times of major business change is critical. As leaders, it’s our job to set boundaries and make decisions that align with the company vision and values.”