Baker has the capability to utilize GIS as a tool to solve our
client's problems in a very broad spectrum of markets. This is a
result of many things that have occurred in the past to position us
for a natural evolution to GIS excellence.
The progression towards GIS excellence began with the foresight and
bias toward technology of our founder Michael Baker Jr. In the 1950's,
he brought the company into the forefront of engineering technology by
purchasing an IBM mainframe computer for use in engineering work
processes. We believe Baker was one of the first engineering firms to
implement computer technology as a day-to-day production tool. The
machine looked silly by today's standards -- full of vacuum tubes --
but that first unit helped establish our culture and set in motion our
excellence in the application of GIS as a problem-solving tool.
In 1979, we purchased our first CADD and automated mapping
systems. Again, we were on the leading edge, investing and
implementing new technologies before our competitors. It is hard to
imagine today, but that first CADD seat cost $250,000. The technology
was essentially a dumb terminal hard-wired to a central
processor.
Our first major GIS conversion project, initiated in 1983, was
undertaken before the term "GIS" became a commonly used term. That
project involved mapping and attribute data for a huge gas utility
system. The client was Washington Gas Light. Baker mapped and created
databases related to WGL's entire gas distribution system.
From that point forward, we were in the GIS business. Our clients
expanded and we used what we learned in those early projects to apply
GIS tools to hundreds of different projects. One of our most recent
experiences demonstrates our success. Baker was able to establish an
entirely new business to a large degree because of our GIS
expertise.
We saw that the application of GIS could be used to improve the
efficiency of offshore oil and gas platform operations in the Gulf of
Mexico. We applied the tool, sold the concept, and started a joint
venture company called Energy Logistics, Inc. (ELI).
Baker's leadership in the GIS arena was recently recognized in the
Arthur Andersen Enterprise Awards competition. Baker's GIS Core
Committee was named the Pittsburgh Regional winner for fostering
innovation. The award recognizes the efforts of the team in pulling
together our five business units and advancing the use of GIS
company-wide.
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