Carlson Software History -- 25 Years Working for You
It was a small ad in POB (Point of Beginning magazine) in 1983 that generated the first sale for Carlson Software. The person who responded sent a check with the message, “Send it!”
“That was it,” says Bruce Carlson, who founded the company. As a licensed surveyor, he started writing surveying software to produce a software product that did what the customer needed it to do.
Carlson Software was launched that year with Bruce Carlson as the primary software developer, salesman, and tech support for the innovative company.
“The goal then, as it is now, was to develop and supply technologically superior software solutions for land development professionals,” says Carlson.
While the early program – Surveyor I – was primitive by today’s standards, it has served as the basis for the wide range of surveying software solutions that Carlson Software now provides. Choices include the following industry stalwarts: for data collection – Carlson SurvCE2.0, Carlson Field, Carlson GIS-CE; for office survey work – Carlson Survey (either for AutoCAD® or Standalone), plus Carlson’s CG and Simplicity survey products, CG Survey8 and Simplicity Site Survey.
 “Surveying is our core expertise,” notes Carlson, who now leads a “family” of more than 80 employees including eight actual family members. Two important contributors to the company are Jim Carlson, a brother, who serves as V.P. of Sales and Support, and Dave Carlson, a nephew, who is Executive V.P. of Development and leads the civil engineering and mining programming teams at Carlson.
Growth was slow but steady over the first 10 years. Milestones include having the software become IBM PC compatible (Surveyor I was made to run on an Apple II); making the first “foreign” sale in Puerto Rico in 1986; becoming an Autodesk® registered dealer in 1989 (NOTE: this was recently rescinded by Autodesk, but Carlson products continue to run on AutoCAD®); and expanding into the mining industry with its SurvCADD product, the precursor to the Carlson Civil line in 1990.
The company’s growth has accelerated in the last 10 years and now Carlson Software, which is based in Maysville, Ky., with offices in Boston, Mass., Atlanta, Ga., Front Royal, Va., and Queensland, Australia, has expanded to offer the most completely integrated software solutions available across surveying, engineering, and construction.
“We offer variety and choice to the end-user and will continue to give our users the safe, service-oriented, technologically advanced, independent choice they have come to expect from Carlson Software and to provide our renowned, industry-leading customer service and support,” states Carlson. “We appreciate our customers, listen to their input, and try to provide the upgrades and improvements that they need.One of our strongest motivations continues to be a sense of responsibility to serve the customers of our marketplace.”
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