Atlanta-based rental platform RentPath is beefing up its proptech arm with the hiring of David Sommers as its Chief Technology Officer, according to a Wednesday release.
Prior to his latest appointment, Sommers served as RentPath’s senior director of engineering, expanding out the engineering team and leading new developments of its web, mobile and integration services. Sommers’ promotion marks the third C-Suite modification at RentPath in just under two months.
“David’s track record building and driving high-performing engineering teams to deliver meaningful results for technology firms as CTO makes him a natural fit to help lead us into our next chapter,” said Jon Ziglar, CEO of RentPath. “He will be crucial in our mission to deliver seamless experiences across our platforms while continuously innovating to add value to the solutions multifamily owners and operators need to connect with renters.”
Sommers was also a founding member of Clockwise.MD where he served as CTO and chief operating officer to the patient engagement software platform, eventually shepherding that business through multiple acquisitions.
RentPath, owner of property-listing sites including Rent.com and Apartment Guide, underwent massive changes in 2021. After a deal to be acquired by CoStar Group fell through due to antitrust objections from the federal government, real estate brokerage and listings portal Redfin scooped up the Atlanta-based rental platform in February. This is only the second acquisition Redfin has made since its founding in 2004.
In July, the company appointed former ParkMobile CEO Ziglar as chief executive officer, which went into effect in August. That transition saw Ziglar overseeing the integration of RentPath’s rental listings onto Redfin’s main site, while working with both property managers and consumers, according to Glenn Kelman, Redfin’s CEO.
One day prior to Sommers unveiling as CTO, RentPath announced the appointment of Nishant Phadnis as the company’s newest Chief Product Officer. Phadnis spent ten years with the company as the former General Manager of Rentals.com. And in November, RentPath appointed Sean Barry, the former president of Updater and CEO of Bridgevine, as Chief Operating Officer.
“I couldn’t be more excited to work with the RentPath team as we enter this new stage of the company’s evolution as a platform solution provider to the rental industry,” said Sommers of his vision as CTO. “Experience has taught me that technology doesn’t solve problems, people do, and they do it with a mixture of technology, understanding challenges and innovation.”