OpenGeo, the open source technology leader behind the OpenGeo Suite, announced changes to its senior management to build on the company’s significant growth. OpenGeo President Chris Holmes will move into the role of Chairman and Founder, with OpenGeo COO Edward Pickle becoming Chief Executive Officer. Vanessa Hamer, Director of Operations for OpenGeo parent OpenPlans, has been named to the new position of Vice President, Operations.
“OpenGeo is working to improve the geospatial software world every day — increasing the capabilities of the software we support, enabling more open data, and expanding the set of enterprises we work with globally,” said Chris Holmes. “Eddie Pickle and Vanessa Hamer will be key to a more robust leadership team to take us even further, and add expertise we will need to continue our growth.”
Commenting on the new position, Eddie Pickle noted, “It has been a fantastic experience working with Chris Holmes these past two plus years. I have served with great leaders over my career, but Chris stands out as a true visionary with a compelling vision that pulls the whole industry forward. OpenGeo is a better and more effective software company because of him, and the entire industry is reaping the benefits of that software. I look forward to continuing to work with Chris to innovate and leverage open source solutions at OpenGeo.”
Since 2002, Chris Holmes has played a leading role in the development of GeoServer, which is core to the OpenGeo Suite. After a Fulbright fellowship in Zambia where he examined the potential for spatial data infrastructures, Chris returned to the New York City non-profit civic technology incubator, OpenPlans, to grow OpenGeo as its geospatial division. Chris also serves as a founding member of the Open Source Geospatial (OSGeo) Foundation and a current board member for both the Global Spatial Data Infrastructures (GSDI) Association and Brave New Software. With these management changes Holmes will focus on long-term product development and strategic growth.
Commenting on the appointment of Eddie Pickle as CEO, Holmes said, “Eddie is a proven and talented manager and entrepreneur. OpenGeo is well-served by his leadership as our products and markets expand.” Since 2009, Pickle has led business development for OpenGeo, expertly guiding the company to record growth. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer of IONIC Enterprise, an industry leader in developing OGC standards-based software and introducing it to US markets. Prior to his time at IONIC, he served as Executive Vice President at Claritas (now part of AC Nielsen), where he directed geospatial applications development for many of the world’s largest enterprises. As CEO, Pickle will provide support and guidance to all divisions of OpenGeo and work to enhance the organization’s existing structures for continued expansion.
For the past four years Vanessa Hamer has served as Director of Operations for OpenGeo’s parent non-profit, OpenPlans. While with OpenPlans she helped guide central operations and provided leadership in areas ranging from corporate development to finances and human resources. Vanessa originates the role of Vice President and Director of Operations for OpenGeo.
These appointments represent OpenGeo’s continued investment and confidence in its OpenGeo Suite, strategic services, mission, and talented team.
About OpenGeo
OpenGeo is a social enterprise working to build the best web-based geospatial technology. The company brings the best practices of open source software to geospatial organizations around the world by providing enterprises with supported, tested, and integrated open source solutions to build the Geospatial Web. OpenGeo also supports open source communities by employing key developers of PostGIS, GeoServer, and OpenLayers. Since 2002, the company has provided successful consulting services and products to clients like the World Bank, US Department of State, NYC DoITT, Ordnance Survey Great Britain, SFMTA, Portland TriMet, MassGIS, GeoScience Australia, NOAA and the Federal Communications Commission. OpenGeo is the geospatial division of OpenPlans, a New York-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that informs and engages communities through journalism and open source software. All of OpenGeo’s revenue has been and will continue to be re-invested into innovative and useful software in support of the OpenPlans mission.
