M. Nasir Shir joins Sewall Company as director of geospatial services
OLD TOWN, Maine — The James W. Sewall Company has hired M. Nasir Shir, a geographic information systems professional, as the new director of geospatial services.
Shir will lead and work with Sewall’s geospatial team to diversify its clientele and acquire new projects involving geospatial technology. He will also participate in the QA/QC of geospatial data along with other members of the team.
Shir brings with him more than two decades of geographic information systems experience. His most recent position as the GIS manager for the city of Portland involved setting up, maintaining and upgrading GIS Enterprise, hardware, software and servers, and building GIS applications for the field staff and for internal departmental use.
He coordinated Portland’s GIS Steering Committee and educated staff about GIS technology and its uses for more efficient daily work. He also created customized maps and analyzed data.
Shir’s career in geospatial thinking began at Clark University where he majored in geography and international development. After obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree there, he earned his master’s degree in community planning and development from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine. He is recognized as a GIS professional by the GIS Certification Institute.
“We are excited to have a GIS professional of Nasir’s caliber join our team,” Matthew Dieterich, executive vice president of Sewall, said. “His strengths in communication, business strategy, project management, needs assessment, solution design, and analysis will complement an already strong group of geospatial consultants.”
In his spare time, Shir serves on the University of Southern Maine Board of Visitors and the Maine Community Foundation board. Previously, he assisted the Maine GIS User Group, GISCI Outreach Committee, Maine Civic Leadership, Waynflete, and the Cape Elizabeth Land Commission and School Board.
Sewall is a multi-discipline consulting firm providing a wide range of professional services, including civil and transportation engineering, survey, construction management or administration and inspection, alternative site evaluation and permitting, land use planning, geospatial solutions, aerial & satellite imaging, mapping, application development, and asset management and natural resources consulting.