As a mapping industry veteran with over 34 years of experience in both the public & private mapping sectors, Bert ***** brings a deep knowledge of the map data market, its underlying technology and the industry dynamics that shape the strategies of the major players. His experience gives him excellent knowledge of not just the industry but a breadth of experience and contacts that allows him to interpret the many changes in the industry.

Bert began his career with the US Census Bureau as part of a team of geographers tasked with development of the TIGER files. Working with local planning agencies, private contractors, as well as Bureau staff, Bert was recognized for making a significant contribution to the development of the first nationwide map dataset.

Following his 13 year stint with the government, Bert joined Etak, a Silicon Valley startup that was a pioneer in the car navigation industry. Bert held several increasingly responsible positions at Etak including Production Control Manager, Data Quality Program Manager, Geographic Operations Manager, and Data Product Manager. When Etak was acquired by TeleAtlas in 2000, Bert was charged with planning a nationwide field survey to upgrade the company’s maps to navigation quality. He also continued to represent the company at industry standards organizations including the SAE Map Database Committee (former Chair), ISO TC204 (Intelligent Transport Systems data standards), ISO TC211 (Geomatics), and the Open Geospatial Consortium. Bert is a recognized international expert in the areas of map data quality and standards.

In 2005, Bert joined deCarta (formerly Telcontar), a well known provider of a geospatial application developer platform, as its Data Product Manager. In this capacity, Bert represented the company’s interests, negotiated content re-seller contracts with major vendors, and managed vendor relationships contributing to deCarta’s 3X growth during this period. He also managed product development of deCarta's flagship map data product, RMF and supported Sales by providing product training and pricing, clarifying licensing terms for content, and facilitating contact with vendors for special use cases.

Since late 2008, Bert has provided consulting services for companies and organizations in need of
• Map and data training
• Content sourcing, licensing, and aggregation
• Data Product strategies and management
• Standards strategies and implementation

Bert is continuing his 15-year role as a US Expert Delegate to the ISO TC204 Working Group on Map Database Technology. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Geography from Boston University and a Master’s Degree in Urban Transportation Geography from Arizona State University.