Dominic Thomas hopes to foster innovation in the classroom as a new Information Systems and Operations Management professor at Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School’s this September.

“I want our students to be able to become the next billionaires by inventing and innovating in the workplace,” he said. Since many of today’s inventions are technology-based, he considers the information systems industry to be ripe with opportunity. “I believe our students will become successful innovators once they grasp the fundamentals of information systems management and design and digital economies from the classes in my department,” he said.

With a PhD in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia, Thomas specializes in organizational systems development and the implementation of transaction processing, accounting, auditing, and collaborative solutions. His research interests include virtual team leadership, collaboration system design and implementation, and information and communication technologies.

Thomas, who is proficient in five languages, including English, Nepalese, Spanish, Japanese, and Russian, has worked in education and international development around the world. Over the years, he has gained experience in international development, information systems, and multi-organizational project management. He has helped implement an enterprise resource planning system in a global energy company and has led efforts to re-engineer the processes and systems at a government agency.

Most recently, Thomas served as a visiting assistant and adjunct professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and an adjunct professor at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.

Thomas said his background in global business was well-suited for Sawyer Business School, whose mission is to prepare future leaders in global business.

Thomas is looking forward to engaging his students in local business connections and helping them achieve the great successes. “At Emory I have very much enjoyed getting involved in student projects with businesses, helping to find matches that have led to some job offers and fruitful course experiences,” he explained. “I am already actively involved with several technology start-ups around Boston, particularly in the web technologies space, and am excited to see if I can develop some bridges between Suffolk and those businesses for interested students.”