For more than 30 years, Eric has worked in telecommunications and utility infrastructure, witnessing firsthand how the industry has evolved from a largely field-driven business into one increasingly dependent on data, connectivity and automation. Networks have become denser, project timelines have accelerated, and the coordination required among owners, contractors, engineers and municipalities has become increasingly complex. At the same time, the consequences of incomplete or unreliable information have become more significant.

Eric's career has repeatedly placed him at the point where plans meet field conditions. He saw talented teams make critical decisions based on records that were incomplete, outdated or overly two-dimensional to accurately depict underground conditions. Over time, he observed the same uncertainty emerging across planning, construction, maintenance, damage prevention and project closeout.

That experience led to an important realization: the challenge was not simply locating underground infrastructure. It was an information problem.

That perspective helped shape the vision behind Intelligent Mapping — a technology designed to turn underground infrastructure from something inferred into something that can be measured, documented and managed with confidence.

For customers, the value lies in replacing uncertainty with verified information needed to make critical decisions before unknown conditions turn into costly delays, damage or rework.

SEEING THE GAP BETWEEN THE RECORD & REALITY

Underground infrastructure is often documented through a combination of legacy drawings, GIS records, contractor markups, institutional knowledge and surface-based locating. While each source can provide value, the resulting record may still be fragmented or fail to reflect the final installed condition.

For organizations responsible for planning, installing and managing underground assets, that gap can have consequences long after construction is complete. When an asset's precise location and geometry are not captured during installation, future teams inherit that uncertainty, which can surface as redesign, exploratory excavation, delays, safety exposure, damage risk and avoidable cost.

Eric believes the industry has an opportunity to approach that information gap differently. Rather than handling field-verified asset data as an optional closeout item, it should be a core deliverable that carries value throughout the asset lifecycle. Capturing verified data as part of the workflow creates a durable digital record that can carry critical information forward.

The broader opportunity, he says, is to connect design intent, installed reality and operational history, creating a continuous chain of evidence.

MORE THAN A MAP

The earliest vision for Intelligent Mapping focused on solving a fundamental challenge: accurately mapping buried conduit in three dimensions. As the technology was applied in the field and conversations with customers and partners revealed new opportunities, that vision expanded.

The value of the data extended well beyond simply placing a line on a map. It could capture XYZ position and depth, calculate bend radius and bend angle, support constructability decisions and create a defensible record of what was installed.

The focus advanced from simply mapping a route to better understanding the geometry and characteristics of an underground asset.

"Intelligent Mapping has evolved from a mapping technology into a broader infrastructure-intelligence platform (QA/QC) — one designed to make underground work more predictable, auditable and efficient."

Using inertial measurement and a controlled field process, Intelligent Mapping can produce a three-dimensional record of a conduit route that can be visualized, analyzed, shared and integrated into existing asset-management workflows. The result is a richer description of an asset's actual geometry — information that can support design validation, installation planning, quality assurance, as-built documentation, future maintenance and risk reduction.

INNOVATION STARTS WITH THE CUSTOMER

Eric's approach to innovation is not about introducing technology simply because something new is possible. It starts with understanding a real problem and determining whether technology can create a measurable improvement.

"Innovation is not novelty for its own sake. It is a measurable improvement in how a real problem is solved."

That philosophy keeps customer workflows at the center of Intelligent Mapping's product development. Conversations with field crews, project managers, engineers, asset owners and equipment partners help identify where decisions break down, what information is missing and how the resulting data needs to be presented.

That feedback has helped push the technology beyond basic route visualization toward capabilities such as bend analysis, installation intelligence, standardized reporting and audit-ready documentation. The objective is not simply to collect more information, but to make the right information useful to the people who need to act on it.

FROM DOCUMENTATION TO DECISION INTELLIGENCE

The potential value of verified underground data becomes particularly clear when considering how it can influence decisions before work begins.

When accurate geometry is combined with installation equipment, engineering models, GIS and asset-management platforms, a bridge is created that connects information across planning, installation, quality assurance and future operations.

The practical impact is not simply a better record. It is the opportunity for fewer surprises, better coordination and a stronger basis for decisions before crews and equipment are committed — a shift from documentation to decision intelligence.

TURNING UNDERGROUND UNCERTAINTY INTO INTELLIGENCE

The opportunity is compelling because of both the scale of the problem and the people responsible for solving it. Underground infrastructure supports nearly every part of modern life, yet the professionals who build and maintain it are often asked to work with incomplete information.

Greater certainty can improve safety, productivity, accountability and long-term asset performance. The goal is to help establish a different standard — one in which verified information is captured when the opportunity exists and carried forward throughout the asset's lifespan.

His perspective on the challenge is straightforward:

"The greatest risk is often not that an asset is underground — it is that our knowledge of it is incomplete."

Intelligent Mapping is built on the idea that uncertainty does not have to follow an asset for decades. By capturing the right information and turning it into a durable digital record, underground infrastructure can become more visible, predictable and manageable, even when it remains physically out of sight.

And when asked what he hopes people remember about Intelligent Mapping, Eric's answer is equally direct:

"We help customers understand what is actually there, not simply what a drawing suggests should be there."

ACCURATE. AUDITABLE. ACTIONABLE.

That is the vision behind Intelligent Mapping™.