Intergraph’s mapping division (Security, Government, and Infrastructure) looks to new leadership as the company announced today that Ms. Preetha Pulusani, head of the division since 1998, will be retiring. During Ms. Pulusani’s tenure, she restructured the division to focus on Intergraph’s core constituents in local and state government and brought back the utilities division into her domain. I suspect this move had to be done during a time when the company was re-evaluating its core competencies and to save money. It was a move that was a low risk strategy in a time of some upheaval and uncertainty. Ms. Pulusani’s style was collegial and was well respected by her staff [In the interest of full disclosure, I worked for Ms. Pulusani for a number of years in the mid-90’s] and she leaves at time when the company faces challenges of only modest revenue growth when competitors are growing faster and the likes of Google are stepping on toes in the mapping world.
I can’t help but think that her hands were a bit tied by CEO Halsey Wise’s insistence that the company use its IP settlement cash to buy back stock rather than invest in new technology (GeoMedia is getting a bit old) or to acquire companies that would bolster the company’s position in mapping with a new customer base. Ms. Pulusani’s strength was in her management style and always articulated the company’s vision well but was reluctant to offer new direction beyond the existing markets known to the company.
This challenge now falls to Ben Eazzetta, former COO of the SGI division. We don’t know Mr. Eazzetta in the mapping business and let’s hope he’s not just a "numbers guy". The company needs to find a way beyond the 5% growth path that it is on. I would have suspected that they company might move Peter Batty, recently hired as the company’s CTO to be more involved with the mapping division and let’s hope that his influence will be felt.
by Joe Francica on 02/03 at 08:35 AM |
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She’ll be leaving the company after 25 years of service She’ll be at Intergraph through late summer to work on the transition. Ben Eazzetta, chief operating officer of Intergraph’s SG&I division, succeeds Pulusani as the SG&I division president.
This marks a big change for geospatial technology at Intergraph.
by Adena Schutzberg on 02/03 at 08:04 AM |
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In addition to announcing less than ideal financials last week Intergraph also shared information on job cuts.
Less than stellar earnings caused the stock price to fall 25% on Thursday. Tuesday and Wednesday saw near record highs above $50 . Officials pointed to soft sales in SG&I (aka GIS) and higher than expected restructuring costs.
About 40 positions were cut in the last quarter of the year, and $2.7 million was spent on resturucturing. That brings total job cuts last year to 215.
by Adena Schutzberg on 01/30 at 09:05 AM |
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Intergraph Corp. was money manager John Dorfman’s top value-stock pick in 2005. He writes for Bloomberg News.
Investors Business Daily has an interview with Halsey Wise. Sample: “That’s how we differentiate ourselves,” he said. “We lead by fusing spatial capability to security.”
The Inquirer reports that Intergraph and others may be sued for patent infringement. Details are sketchy, but the paper offers it thinks its US patent number 5,203, 002, filed in 1993 by Mr Glen Wetzel. No court papers have surfaced yet. Other defendants may include Intel, IBM, Fujitsu and TI.
by Adena Schutzberg on 12/29 at 08:47 AM |
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Halsey Wise spoke at a CEO forum in India hosted by a leading tech firm, Nasscom (“the premier organisation that represents and sets the tone for public policy for the Indian software industry”). According to a report in The Hindu Business Line, Wise “said that GIS has become mainstream for businesses helping extract information from unreliable data using 3D imaging and modelling technologies.” Wise said that India is planning about 13 nuclear plants an that “through spatial technologies, it would be possible to design them through modelling technologies.”
The Business Standard reports that Wise picked mobile mapping as the next big thing.
Perhaps more interesting, India has changed its tune regarding sharing spatial information. The Chairman and Managing Director of Infotech Enterprises, a GIS company, Mr B.V.R. Mohan Reddy raised that issue saying that maps have “been liberated.”
by Adena Schutzberg on 11/11 at 05:00 AM |
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