Dave Gilbert, GISP

One thing GIS brings to every conversation is the ability to see things you couldn’t otherwise see before. No matter the topic, spatially enabling the data helps everyone better understand the information.

I remember a zoning officer who described the time-consuming process of distributing adjacent landowner notifications. Our firm designed an application that reduced time spent by more than 80% and produced more helpful information. Seeing her positive reaction to this application was one of those moments I’ll never forget.

I specialize in GIS and GIS database development and work primarily with our state and local government clients. My goal is to help our clients solve their challenges using GIS and technology.

Every water utility client I work with is currently facing the challenge of meeting the Revised Lead and Copper Rule regulation changes. It is an enormous issue in terms of infrastructure and human health. GIS helps by providing inventory and inspection tools and managing and reporting the data to the public and regulatory agencies. The positive contribution GIS makes to this program is incredible and long-lasting.

The work is rewarding and meaningful, GFT has always been a technology leader, and there is consistency in leadership and continued growth.

Working for a company where you are valued and heard makes a big difference. I’ve seen firsthand how collaboration and innovation contribute to our success.

It’s interesting to look back and reflect on how things have changed over the years, such as:

• The use of electronic timesheets. When I started, we used snail mail, and everything was paper-based.
• Everyone has their own email address. We used to think we only needed one account per office.
• The use of Microsoft and Windows. We initially used DOS, for those who know what that is. I did my first presentation with a slide projector after taking pictures of my computer screen, so PowerPoint was like magic when it first came out.

A huge part of my career has included traveling, both nationally and internationally. Experiencing other parts of the world impacts your understanding of other people and cultures. It is something that every traveler benefits from. Working in these diverse settings helped me value acceptance, diversity, and inclusion, affecting how I conduct myself every day.

My wife, Wendy, and I have been married for about 30 years and live in a small community in central Pennsylvania. We have one adopted son, Alex, who just turned 19. With relatives in Maine, we have made many trips over the years and would say it’s our favorite vacation spot.

I used to be a drummer in two Scottish bagpipe bands. Another thing most people don’t know is that I lived in the Gettysburg National Military Park Cemetery in the old caretaker’s house as a research technician on a white-tailed deer study for the park in the 1980s.

As much as I like maps, I also like hopping in my truck and driving the old dirt roads of north central Pennsylvania without a map – just to enjoy the drive and try to figure out where I am based on the map in my head.