GeoDecisions acquires WorldView Solutions

Harrisburg, Pa. — GeoDecisions, Gannett Fleming’s geospatial technology division, acquired WorldView Solutions, a geographic information systems (GIS) consulting firm based in Richmond, Va. The acquisition, which became effective Oct. 26, 2018, expands the geospatial data services that GeoDecisions provides to commercial clients as well as federal, state, and local governments.

“Consolidation of the geospatial marketplace is necessary for firms to remain competitive and provide the most robust and seamless solutions to clients,” said Brendan Wesdock, MCP, GISP, president of GeoDecisions. “We’ve collaborated with WorldView on many projects, and our corporate cultures, client-centered approach, and long-term business goals are in lockstep. The acquisition makes great sense because, by combining forces, we are better equipped to invest in creating products that push the boundaries of geospatial technology and bring greater value to our clients while advancing an aggressive growth plan to expand our geographic footprint.”

WorldView has offered geospatial technology solutions for nearly 20 years, providing resource and asset management, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and consulting capabilities to the private and public sectors and nongovernmental organizations. The firm’s 45 employees have been retained and there are not any immediate changes in project management or technical staff for existing WorldView projects.

“Through this acquisition, WorldView’s employees have access to the enhanced capabilities and expanded resources that GeoDecisions and its parent company, Gannett Fleming, bring to the table as a 2,300-person company,” said Jamie Christensen, former president and CEO of WorldView. “Together, we are strengthened in our ability to work with our clients to define their needs and identify the most effective geospatial solutions to solve their complex challenges.”

GeoDecisions will continue to offer ready-to-install products created by WorldView, including PracticeKeeper, a comprehensive web-based solution that enables soil and water conservation districts, departments of environmental protection, and private entities to track all data related to conservation planning, nutrient management, watershed management, erosion and sediment control, and compliance and complaint management. OrbWeaver, a cloud-based geospatial data-mining tool that provides location-based insights to clients across industries, will also remain available. The software uses specified geospatial parameters and datasets along with machine learning algorithms to discover, integrate, and map other relevant target data sources such as environmental conditions, demographic characteristics, transportation infrastructure, and existing businesses. For instance, a real estate agent may use the tool to discover, mine, and rank relevant data sets for a full-scope analysis of properties they are considering for purchase.

WorldView has successfully undertaken many assignments for municipalities, districts, and counties as well as state and federal projects. Recent projects in their portfolio include:

• development of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Land Application Tracking Module to better track the permits and biosolids land application activity throughout the Commonwealth;
• implementation of Spotsylvania Utilities Department’s new asset management system, Cityworks;
• implementation and maintenance of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s SMART Portal, a web-based solution that collects funding applications and supports statewide prioritization for transportation project selection;
• implementation of PracticeKeeper to help Durham County Soil & Water Conservation District develop and manage conservation plans, document best management practices, and improve reporting; and,
• processing more than 20 terabytes of raster data for the University of Vermont to categorize the Chesapeake Bay watershed into 12 land-cover types to support the Chesapeake Conservancy’s watershed and storm water management and conservation efforts.