Partner Spotlight: Interview With Bob Bartz From CHR Solutions

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If nearly 25 years of industry experience has taught us anything, it’s that no one who has an ounce of success in the business goes it alone. We value the relationships that we have forged and continue to develop with clients and partners across the globe because not only does the work we do make others better, the experiences make us better as well.

We were fortunate enough to interview Bob Bartz from CHR Solutions recently about many things GIS – and fishing.

Kevin Maes: We’ve known each other for a long time, going back to the original Broadband Stimulus days over a decade ago. What’s different about the industry now than when we started working together?

Bob Bartz: Without question the thirst for bandwidth. Very few of us thought that the demand for broadband would become a necessity, a vital utility.

KM: In your experience, do you think that moving to a more GIS, data centric approach is the right move for companies today and if so, who do you think benefits the most from the investment?

BB: Anyone that is deploying a network and is not looking at GIS data and its value is missing the boat. The upfront investment to assure quality GIS data is being used in the engineering and design phases of deployment pays huge dividends to providers not only during the deployment of the network but how you sell and operate once the network is in place. The benefits of the use of GIS data can be realized by all segments of a providers business, planning and engineering, sales, operations, even finance.

KM: What’s been the biggest surprise to you related to the industry in recent years? The amount of Government funding available or the influx of private equity money are two that come to mind…

BB: Broadband networks have become the next essential utility much like electricity was a generation or two before us, this is what is driving investment dollars both private and public. If you would have said that broadband was the next electric utility 15-20 years ago there would have been a short line of believers.

KM: What do you think the industry will look like in 5 years?

BB: I sound like a broken record but broadband for everyone is real and will be achieved. The use of GIS data coupled with software focused on its use will drive the industry’s future. The data is getting smarter and smarter, we need to harness it’s power.

KM: Lastly, those that know both of us, know about our similar passion for Fly Fishing. With all the great waters out there (The Snake, Frying Pan and Upper Delaware Rivers come to mind for me), what do you think is the “Holy Grail” or said another way, the Lambeau Field of trout waters and why?

BB: Well I have always preferred quality over quantity, I like BIG fish. I haven’t fish them all but of the those that I have fished chasing big trout in the lower 48 it would be the White for Browns and the Kootenai for Rainbows – I have pictures to prove it.

Bob is a Vice President at CHR Solutions. Headquartered in Texas, CHR is a leading provider of BSS/OSS Software, Broadband Engineering, and Managed IT and NOC services to Communication Service Providers (CSPs). Connect with Bob on LinkedIn.

Interested in reading other Partner Spotlights? Click here to read our interview with Zach Nienow from Ayres!