Title:  President & Principal Analyst
Employer:  COMMfusion LLC
Nickname/Alias:  There’s no good nickname for Blair.

What I'm Best Known For (in the Telecom World):

Writing really long, in-depth market studies – some of them were over 500 pages long. My primary focus areas are unified communications, unified messaging, and contact centers. People have called me the “Queen of UC” (unified communications). 

Other Primary Areas of Expertise:

Convergence applications, speech technologies, some VoIP, and conferencing/collaboration 

Summary of Professional Background:

I’ve been an industry analyst for almost 20 years (I started when I was 5). My analyst career started with The Yankee Group, followed by The PELORUS Group, and I went independent and started COMMfusion LLC in 2000. I provide consulting and market research analysis on voice/data convergence markets and technologies, aimed at helping end-user and vendor clients both strategically and tactically.

Prediction on the Future of Telecom & Telecom Managers:

Telecom and telecom managers will be assimilated and become part of the IT organization.  The expertise that telecom managers have will continue to be extremely valuable, but they will have to work more closely with IT (and keep explaining why 5 9’s really is important). I hate to say that telecom or voice will become an application on the network, but it’s probably true.

Weirdest Thing People Usually Don't Know about Me:

I’m an open book – I can’t think of anything that most people don’t about me. 

When I'm not talking or doing something in relation to telecom, I'm usually...

Being a mom, homework helper, chauffeur, and dog walker.

Book and author I'm currently reading:

The Truth (with Jokes) by Al Franken
Also, A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell (historical fiction – my favorite genre)

CD currently or most recently in my car stereo:

Revolver and/or Rubber Soul by The Beatles

The stupidest thing I've ever seen anyone do or say in relation to a phone:

Just watching my mother try to figure out how to use a basic cell phone – it’s not stupid, but very humorous. It would keep Jerry Seinfeld in business for years.