Steven Buckinger

Steven Buckinger has been an essential part of the T-Kartor team since 2023. He has been in the geospatial field for over nine years and has been an excellent addition to our team.

Before starting with T-Kartor, Steven worked for Aerial Data Service in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he trained in ESRI products. Steven got his GIS certificate from Tulsa Community College in 2021.

Steven knew Jonathan Ripley, T-Kartor's Chief Operating Officer (USA), from their time at Aerial Data Service. When it was time for something new, he found our organization provided an opportunity for growth and made the jump.

The transition to T-Kartor was relatively smooth since Steven already knew the products, specs, and work. Upon starting, he learned how the company structured its workflows and processes.

Steven joined the team with a solid background in FME, software used to graphically build workflows for geospatial project tasks. T-Kartor didn't use FME initially but decided to license the software after several conversations with Steven. He is responsible for its implementation by creating and maintaining workflows through updates and troubleshooting issues.

One of Steven's favorite parts about the industry is how observing satellite imagery worldwide can translate to knowledge about new places and open new perspectives. Additionally, he enjoys problem-solving and analysis work.

Steven feels that, above all, the culture at T-Kartor is refreshing and transparent. Day-to-day, he sees an open, cooperative, and friendly team that is hard at work. Additionally, he appreciates the transparency in high-level moments, particularly from CEO (USA) Simon Bailey.

Like many other industry experts, Steven predicts that AI will be one of the primary changes coming to the industry in the next decade. That said, he quickly mentions that it has already made an impact. The big questions moving forward will be how AI can integrate into responsibilities and workflows.

If you're new to the industry, Steven would advise you to keep an open mind, develop your communication skills, and be open to criticism. Even foundational computer and technology skills go a long way toward starting a geospatial career.

Steven is currently based in Colorado Springs, so when he's not at work, he can be found hiking and spending time with his friends and family outside.

Steven also has several telescopes and considers himself an amateur astronomer, dabbling in astrophotography.

One of Steven's highlights of the year so far was driving to Missouri with family in April to watch the 2024 solar eclipse while in the path of totality; he captured some impressive shots and was thankful to experience the event.