Esri Electric GIS Heroes

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Esri electric heroes inspire

GIS heroes are GIS champions. They have gained respect from electric industry colleagues who see them as problem solvers. Their humble natures and genuine love of GIS make them the people everyone wants to work with. They inspire others to imagine how GIS can help them do their work better. Join us in celebrating these industry leaders who are making a difference every day at their organizations. 

Jeffrey Grussing | Great River Energy

Jeff has worked at Great River Energy (GRE) for 32 years. He established a team of GIS experts who are responsible for building the company's enterprise GIS system. He and his team also helped many of GRE's 28 owner cooperatives and regional electric utilities with their GIS solutions.

As manager of GIS development and technology, he focuses on building and maintaining GRE's business GIS solutions and backend infrastructure. More than 20 years ago, he founded multiple user groups in the northern Midwest. Around 150 GIS professionals attend these forums annually.

Jeff is an avid motorcyclist and enjoys spending time with his three grandkids.

Jeffrey Grussing smiling overlaid on a yellow and purple background

Past GIS heroes

  • Kristen Conrad smiling and wearing business casual clothing overlaid on a yellow and purple background

    Kristen Conrad | FirstEnergy

    GIS Application Supervisor

    Kristen focuses on keeping system data relevant and reliable for downstream systems and critical decision-making.
  • Patrick Gans smiling and wearing a black collared shirt overlaid on a yellow and purple background

    Patrick Gans | Lincoln Electric System (LES)

    Business Solutions Supervisor

    Patrick guides LES’s GIS vision, which includes migrating to ArcGIS Utility Network and replacing their outage management system.
  • Portrait of Lucas Rodrigo Halpern Rivera smiling in a brown suit with a flat yellow background

    Lucas Rodrigo Halphen Rivera | ETESA

    Engineering Director

    Lucas modernized field data collection at ETESA with ArcGIS QuickCapture and ArcGIS Survey123, boosting workflow efficiency.
  • Amanda Opp smiling overlaid on a yellow and purple graphic background

    Amanda Opp | Flathead Electric Cooperative

    Integrated Services Manager

    Amanda implemented ArcGIS Collector for field data collection, which replaced paper-based processes—a significant improvement for FEC.
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  • Chris Berryman smiling in a white sweater overlaid on a yellow and purple graphic background

    Chris Berryman | Santee Cooper

    GIS Architect

    Chris developed a GIS strategy to ensure long-term growth and creates solutions that keep crews and stakeholders informed during power outages.
  • Portrait of Jamie Chipps smiling in a dark sweater and blouse

    Jamie Chipps | FirstEnergy

    Applications Support for Distribution Manager

    Jamie has spent the last 5 years leading the team implementing a new Design tool and Esri’s ArcGIS Utility Network called the aDAPT project.
  • Portrait of Jonathan Blazs smiling in a light blue collared shirt with a flat yellow background in a circular border

    Jonathan Blazs | Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company

    GIS Manager

    Jonathan leads a team of 12 GIS professionals whose focus is on timely and accurate electric distribution data for operational and field use.
  • George Nadar smiling and wearing business attire overlaid on a circular yellow background

    George Nadar | Pacific Gas & Electric Company

    Principal GIS Technology Architect

    George led the transformation of PG&E’s ArcGIS platform into the cloud, allowing efficient management of a services with remotely sensed data.
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  • Hussam Al Jabri smiling and wearing a white tunic standing in front of lush greenery in soft focus

    Hussam Al Jabri | MEDC

    Senior GIS Analyst

    As acting head of GIS at Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), Hussam digitally transformed maintenance inspection activities.
  • Holly Dewbre smiling and wearing a grey shirt in a brightly lit modern office

    Holly Dewbre | Oncor Electric Delivery

    Manager

    Holly develops GIS strategies that improve situational awareness for those who design, construct, and operate Oncor’s transmission lines.
  • Duane Holt smiling and wearing a grey dress shirt in a modern glass building

    Duane Holt | CORE Electric Cooperative

    GIS Manager

    In his 28-year career, Duane is most proud of the widespread acceptance of GIS technologies that he has generated at CORE.
  • Sephe Fox smiling and wearing a blue shirt in front of a corporate office building

    Sephe Fox | Clatskanie People’s Utility District

    GIS Analyst

    Sephe built a GIS system from the ground up and maintains and analyzes all GIS data, including an outage management system.
  • Mark Shibuta smiling and wearing business attire in a modern glass office

    Mark Shibuta | UEDCL

    Head of GIS

    In his six years at Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), Mark moved the company from paper maps to a GIS-based ecosystem.
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  • Portrait of Keith Aubin in a royal blue suit standing outside in a lush green garden

    Keith Aubin | Enel Green Power North America

    Head of Digital Hub for Business Development

    Keith Aubin took GIS from being a tool for creating PDF maps to becoming a core business system that supports renewable energy projects.
  • Darris Friend wearing a white button up shirt and standing in the middle of a utility truck yard

    Darris Friend | Gainesville Regional Utilities

    Utility Project Team Leader

    With 20 years of GIS experience, Darris Friend leads energy delivery at Gainesville Regional Utilities by migrating electric and gas networks.
  • Melissa Maya smiling with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a blue blouse

    Melissa Mayo | Alabama Power

    Team Leader

    Melissa Mayo’s team produces cartographic products, mobile solutions, and apps to support transmission efforts in the company’s service areas.
  • Kurt Towler with glasses and a gray-white, short beard and a blue collared shirt

    Kurt Towler | SSVEC

    GIS Manager

    Kurt Towler manages the GIS network at Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) and is fully migrating their GIS to the cloud.
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Who will be the next Esri Electric GIS Hero?

Do you know someone who uses GIS to create innovative solutions and inspire others?

Nominate an electric GIS hero