CAI Technologies (CAI), a municipal mapping and GIS services company located in Littleton, New Hampshire, is pleased to announce its acquisition of GIS Mapping & Analysis (GISM&A), a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) company located in Portland, Maine. The acquisition is an important part of CAI’s strategic growth and service expansion plan.
Originally founded in 1985 as Cartographic Associates, Inc, CAI has grown to serve nearly 400 local, regional and state governments throughout New England and New York. CAI is a Silver Tier Esri Business Partner. Through its acquisition of GISM&A, CAI will add a significant presence in the greater Portland area, providing GIS consulting and development services to area municipalities and utilities. Further, the acquisition greatly expands CAI’s ArcGIS Online consulting and implementation opportunities.
Business Transition Strategies, “BTS”, provided full transaction advisory services to CAI Technologies in seeking the acquisition and completing the transaction.
Under the terms of the formal engagement, advisor Mark Lagasse of BTS provided the following: target lists that met the geographic and operational requirements of the buyer; made contact with targets; performed financial and synergistic analysis of target operations; purchase price evaluation and input; assistance with financial due diligence and review, along with Bill Bedor, the company’s Financial Advisor; senior debt analysis and presentation; and closing resources.
Thomas Burns founded his ground-up business in 1998 and has served many municipal and utility clients from the beginning of their experience with GIS as a management tool. Tom’s support for clients over the past 20 years has earned him a reputation for responsiveness, problem-solving and imagination. GISM&A grew from a data development firm to encompass all aspects of GIS as a decision-support system. Tom’s clients have come to view his services as part of their own organizational structure and they rely on him to work with crews in the field, consult with municipal leadership on budgetary matters and deploy mobile field applications for asset management.
“In 1988, when I first discovered GIS, I was interested in how data made visual could result in better decision-making in the public realm,” remarked Mr. Burns. “Having had the opportunity to evolve with some of southern Maine’s communities in how to use spatial information to better serve the public, I wanted to ensure that work could continue well into the future. Although I have no plans to retire, I realize that the scale and expertise I found with CAI Technologies will give my existing clients the best chance to continue our work.”
“We are excited about this acquisition and pleased that Tom has agreed to join the CAI team” said Franco Rossi, President of CAI Technologies. “His wealth of knowledge will enhance our already strong GIS capabilities and will serve to ensure that his clients continue to receive the level of service and expertise to which they are accustomed.”
Business Transition Strategies works with owners of private companies who want to sell or prepare for a transfer down the road as well as with businesses interested in a growth through acquisition strategy. It has sold manufacturing, distribution, machining and coating companies in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York.