Mike Schlerf

Mike has been an incredible asset to our organization during his 10+ years with the company. He is currently a Project Manager and Production Lead with our U.S.-based team.

Born and raised in New England, Mike studied art and geography at Keene State College in New Hampshire. Ultimately, his love for the outdoors propelled him into the geography field and beyond. 

Before T-Kartor, Mike built an impressive resume as a digital mapping technician with Tele Atlas and later as a traffic editor for NAVTEQ. Now living in New York, Mike started with T-Kartor in 2013 and immediately embarked on the exciting WalkNYC project. Mike and the team did fieldwork across every borough of New York to create an impressive wayfinding system that has only grown over the years.

Mike thoroughly enjoys the geospatial industry. While he enjoys the challenges and problem-solving opportunities the field presents, he truly loves the solutions built to help pedestrians find their way around cities and increase walkability (as shown through the New York project). Mike feels that when people understand how to find their way around, they are more likely to participate in their communities.

Mike has seen the T-Kartor culture bloom and grow over the years. He enjoys the people here the most and appreciates how Sweden's family-based culture has permeated the center of U.S. operations (which has helped lead to strong retention rates of skilled colleagues). Mike believes their collaboration and problem-solving strengths keep both teams at the forefront of innovation.

Over the next decade, Mike predicts that open-source data will evolve even further. He is also eager to see how automation and advanced digitization of dynamic maps will enhance wayfinding efforts.

If you're new to the industry, you'll want to take this advice from a veteran like Mike: keep an open mind and not be defined by a specific "lane" of work.

By trying and failing at different projects, you will find what you like and dislike and where your strengths lie. Mike asserts that the people he likes working with most are those who can do a bit of everything and have an interdisciplinary mindset.

You'll find Mike outside and active when he's not creating geospatial solutions. He is a lifelong snowboarder and loves spending time in the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

Mike also loves cooking and spending quality time with his family, such as doing art projects with his daughter and taking ski runs with his son.