CAMBDEN, N.J., Nov. 18, 2004 — Gestalt, a business and information technology firm specializing in the application of interoperation technologies including decision support and simulation for both defense and utilities industry, announced that it has acquired Washington, D.C.-based energy and utility management consulting firm Barker, Dunn & Rossi, Inc (BDR). The acquisition is Gestalt’s second in the sector this year.
Through the deal Gestalt adds a team of seasoned energy and utility professionals with more than 150 years of combined industry experience to an already thriving business unit. The combined team has provided technology and consulting services to companies in the energy and utility industry in virtually every region of the U.S. and Canada– a group that collectively powers more than 90% of the homes and businesses across North America. The team has extensive international experience as well, having provided regulatory reform and restructuring expertise in more than 15 countries, spanning 6 continents.
The acquisition is expected to provide Gestalt with depth and breadth in targeted areas as the company continues its widely documented growth in the high profile energy and utility marketplace. Unlike many of its competitors, Gestalt now provides a more comprehensive range of services to the electric and utility sector that covers not only strategic planning, business process analysis, and technology solutions, but now also includes regulatory and litigation support and international expertise. BDR’s team is recognized as a leader in electricity market design and implementation consulting. Its work in the international sector is particularly noteworthy. In an ongoing project the team is providing the framework and process, and designing the rules to allow China to develop a more efficient and reliable power market around Shanghai. The project is expected to serve as a model for the rest of the country’s power markets.
“This deal is a win-win for Gestalt, BDR, our collective clients, and the energy marketplace,” said William Loftus, President and CEO, Gestalt. “In BDR, we’ve acquired a team of experts that adds significant depth to our practice and gives us the ability to expand more quickly into key areas like the international market. This acquisition puts us in a great position to build on the success we’ve had and continue our strong growth in the energy and utility sector.”
“Working side-by-side with Gestalt on a number of projects, we’ve seen first hand the talent of its people and the strength of its processes,” said Mark Rossi, President and Managing Director, Barker, Dunn & Rossi, Inc. “We’re thrilled to join this winning team and we’re excited about the prospects for growth moving forward.”
BDR has extensive experience in providing highly specialized consulting services to all sectors of the worldwide electric utility industry, including investor-owned utilities, independent power producers, co-op and municipal utilities, Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators, and international funding agencies such as the World Bank and the United States Energy Association. BDR has worked with some major players within the industry such as ISO New England, Duke Energy, Calpine, the Southwest Power Pool, TECO Energy, and international organizations such as East China Grid Company, ESKOM, and RAO Unified Electric System of Russia — one of the three largest utilities in the world.
This move marks the latest in a line of investments and personnel additions to Gestalt’s energy and utility practice over the past 18 months.
About Gestalt
Gestalt is an information technology firm that helps decision makers in governments and industry increase their return on technology investments through the application of state-of-the-art interoperation, simulation, and decision support technologies. Gestalt’s services include strategy development, technology architecture and partner assessments, application and development of custom frameworks and components, and support. Gestalt has deep experience in back-end systems development and integration (the ‘heavy-lifting’ in integration services), complex web services, and distributed system architectures using open standards based on Java and Microsoft technology, and agent-based technology. Gestalt has offices in Camden, NJ, King of Prussia, PA, Orlando, FL, Hanscom Field, MA, Washington, DC, Hampton, VA, Jacksonville, FL, Joplin, MO, and Toronto, Canada.
About Barker, Dunn, & Rossi
Barker, Dunn & Rossi, Inc. is highly regarded across the United States and throughout the world as domestic and international experts in emerging, evolving, and developed electricity markets. BDR’s expertise lies in electricity market design, strategic business consulting, agreements and tariffs, regulatory and litigation, merger and acquisition and capitalization, and international restructuring. BDR has helped key domestic and international companies improve their operations, restructure their markets, and implement new market designs.
