[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S1145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING PENBAY SOLUTIONS

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I have the privilege 
of hearing countless small business success stories from hard-working 
entrepreneurs across the country. Today I wish to recognize and commend 
the extraordinary achievements of PenBay Solutions, an award-winning 
geographic information systems, GIS, firm headquartered in Brunswick, 
ME.
  Since its inception in 1999, PenBay has grown to become a leader in 
the expanding GIS industry while spurring job creation. Today, the 
company employs 26 people in Maine, many of which graduated from the 
University of Maine system, a primer education institution for GIS. 
Additionally, PenBay employs several individuals working remotely 
around the country as well as in their New York and Washington D.C. 
offices.
  As a technology leader, PenBay Solutions provides geographic 
information to help clients economize space, cut costs, comply with 
building codes, and make better decisions across the board. While GIS 
is an emerging technology, PenBay has been a forerunner in providing 
businesses with this vital asset and has distinguished themselves among 
clients in a breadth of industries including: education, health care, 
government, and more.
  Among their many achievements, PenBay has undertaken several complex 
and fascinating projects of note. In 2006, PenBay assisted the Fire 
Department of New York, FDNY, in complying with a New York City law 
that required the FDNY to review certain buildings and evaluate 
compliance with new building codes and evacuation procedures. PenBay 
played an instrumental role in helping the Department achieve this goal 
by automating over 16,000 floor plans for simple retrieval and 
evaluation. With PenBay's support, the FDNY was able to meet its goals 
and concentrate on its main mission: protecting and saving New York 
City residents' lives.
  In addition to working with the FDNY, PenBay has been awarded many 
other government contracts. In late 2008, PenBay assisted the 6th Civil 
Engineering Squadron of MacDill Air Force Base, 6CES, with a 
maintenance contract of 130 government buildings. In this instance, 
6CES lacked the significant in-building data necessary to make informed 
decisions about the space and floor materials within each building. 
With minimal disruption to facility operations and within a remarkable 
turnaround time of 9 days, PenBay Solutions was able to complete Phase 
1 of the project and provide the necessary geospatial data for over 1.7 
million square feet of building space.
  As a result of the company's valuable work, Stuart Rich, PenBay's 
Chief Technology Officer, was honored by the Technology Association of 
Maine with their 2011 CxO of the Year Award in recognition of his 
innovation in the geographic information systems industry. Mr. Rich was 
also inducted into the University of Maine's Francis Crowe Society in 
2010. This tremendous honor is bestowed upon University of Maine 
engineering graduates who have made substantial contributions to the 
engineering profession.
  I applaud PenBay Solutions for being a hallmark example of an 
innovative American small business. Their incredible contributions to 
geospatial technology truly demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit and 
remarkable talent found in my home State of Maine. I am proud to extend 
my congratulations to everyone at PenBay Solutions, and offer my best 
wishes for their continued success.

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