GEOFF ZEISS HAS MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE GEOSPATIAL SOFTWARE INDUSTRY AND MORE THAN 15 YEARS WORKING WITH UTILITIES, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC WORKS AROUND THE WORLD.
Working with “Between the Poles”, Geoff is responsible for tracking the digitization of vertical and horizontal infrastructure in the energy and construction sectors.
The list of his accomplishments makes Geoff a no-brainer for dp-PRO’s Damage Prevention Hero honor. Geoff is a frequent speaker at geospatial and utility events around the world, including Geospatial World Forum (where he received the Geospatial Ambassador Award in 2014), Where 2.0, MundoGeo Connect (Brazil), Middle East Spatial Geospatial Forum, Indian Geospatial Forum, Location Intelligence, Asia Geospatial Forum, and several GITA events in the U.S., Japan and Australia.
Geoff received the Speaker Excellence Award at GITA 2007-2009. In 2020, he coauthored the GITA White Paper: “Reducing Damage to Underground Utility Infrastructure during Excavation, Costs, Benefits, Technical Advances, Case Studies and Recommendations.”
He was a founding member of the Minnesota Underground Utilities Mapping Project Team in 2020, and also the organizer and Chair of the Canadian Subsurface Utility Mapping Strategy Forum. “The one word that best describes Geoff is passion,” said Stephen D. Swazee Sr., Chair, MGAC Emergency Preparedness Committee. “He has a passion for geospatial and utility-related technologies. A passion for sharing what he knows. A passion for life-long learning. A passion for helping others. And a passion for building collaborative working groups.”
Geoff is constantly learning and sharing his knowledge with those in the geospatial and infrastructure sectors. “He is so active in sharing his knowledge through his media platforms and through speaking at events, both nationally and internationally,” explained Ophir Wainer, Director of North American Business Development –4M Analytics.
“I rate Geoff as one of a handful of visionaries in the geospatial sector. One of the things that distinguishes him from his peers is his unassuming manner. He has an extensive knowledge of the IT sector, including spatial data management issues,” said Steven Ramage, Chief Engagement Officer, Geoup on Earth Observations. “I would recommend him to anyone considering an investment in this sector, whether they are a small player entering the market to an organization planning a multi-million dollar project. I have collaborated with Geoff on a number of projects and he is one of those pivotal people that all IT projects need.”
Those who know and have worked with Geoff praise him for his ability to think about “what is next” in damage prevention and his willingness to share those thoughts with others. He is genuinely dedicated to improving safety in the underground infrastructure community, not from the perspective of financial enrichment, but from the perspective of saving lives and making the world a better place to live.
“Geoff is one of my heroes because he exemplifies the person who always leads by example,” Swazee adds. “Across the span of his blog, bringing together groups from around the word to tackle important utility issues, event organizing efforts, and willingness to share his immense knowledge, Geoff is a true leader.”
And now a dp-PRO Damage Prevention Hero as well!
