Local government IT expert joins EGL

3rd August 2007

Local government IT expert joins EGL

Explorer Graphics Ltd (EGL), the Whitby-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) consultancy has appointed local government IT veteran Ewen Church as General Manager, Business Development.

The General Manager, Business Development position is a new role at EGL created to manage ambitious growth targets and covers the functions of business development, financial management, infrastructure management, HR and sales and marketing.

Before joining EGL Church was Information Systems Manager at Upper Hutt City Council for nine years with responsibility for the management of information systems, telecommunications, and GIS across all of council including two public libraries, the visitor information centre, the arts centre and the aquatic centre. Church was also the President of the Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) and a director of Local Government Online Ltd.

EGL’s Chief Executive Officer, David Pimblott, said, “We are delighted that Ewen has joined us. Local government work has always been central to the success of our business and Ewen’s credentials in that sector are second to none.”

Ewen Church said, “I am enjoying the vibe of working in a commercially-focused environment and excited about contributing to EGL’s future growth.“

EGL is in its twentieth year of operations and employs 22 staff. The company expects to double its turnover within the next two years.

ENDS

Notes to Editors
EGL was set up in 1987 and is now a leading Geographic Information Systems (GIS) consultancy in New Zealand and is fast becoming a significant player in the United States.

GIS is, at its simplest, maps on computers. But, EGL’s work is much more than that: the company brings together information from all sorts of sources and delivers them via a ‘spatial view’ to integrate systems in order to deliver specific goals. EGL has helped organisations to provide on-line public access to detailed council information; to manage road, engineering, water and sewerage infrastructure; to manage pests such as animals and plants and to produce plans for land management and district planning purposes.

The company has a comprehensive offer of GIS products and services and innovates by developing products based on ESRI technology – the leading provider of GIS software in the world.

In New Zealand EGL serves clients from North Cape to Bluff and has unparalleled experience within the local government sector working with more than one third of NZ territorial local authorities and the company is also active in other sectors such as utilities, transport and agriculture.

In 2005 EGL formed a joint venture called NorthSouthGIS LLC in the United States with Elroi Consulting Inc and through this company EGL serves clients in six states.

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