Aerial Services, Inc. is a capital intensive company that produces aerial photography and a variety of geospatial products and services for government and engineering firms. The newest product offering from Aerial Services is aerial oblique imagery. This technology allows aerial photographs of a city or county to be taken from many angles. These images are then combined with traditional aerial photography so any structure can be viewed and measured from all four cardinal directions. Currently the firm operates five aircraft, three aerial camera systems, seven 3-D mapping workstations and an immense data network.

New equipment for the company is expensive and often does not have a long useful life, thereby increasing the financial risk to the owners. Mike says, “Each camera system cost approximately $150,000 when they were purchased 10-15 years ago. Before 2008, we will need to purchase one or more digital aerial cameras that now cost $500,000 to $1.5 million each. Our current aerial cameras have had a productive life span of 15-25 years. The new digital cameras may have a productive life span of 5 years. In addition, an array of new technical expertise and equipment will be needed to begin offering professional mapping services and bundles of data online to our customers and business partners around the world.”

So, in 2002, Mike found himself “the CEO of a $3M company with no experience in business and exposed to considerable economic risk, and responsible for the gainful employment of 30 creative, fantastic employees.” Today, the company’s annual sales are approximately $5.5M. “This could not have been possible without significant contributions from my business partners and amazing employees”, Mike said. “Their creativity and dedication to do the job right is a cut above most firms.”

In 2002 Mike enrolled at UNI. He spent one year completing the general business pre-requisites and then dove into the MBA courses. The largest challenge for Mike has been maintaining a balance between work, school, home and church while still having some time to relax and unwind.

While completing the degree, Mike struggles to find the time and resources to apply what he has learned in the MBA program to Aerial Services.One tool Mike has been able to use is calculating the net present value of a project. Using this method, Mike was able to analyze the worth of new equipment under various assumptions to determine whether the purchase should be made.

ASI has also begun to collect customer satisfaction information that Mike plans to use to help the company employ many of the marketing management concepts he has learned in the MBA program.

According to Mike, one of the most enlightening classes in the program was Leadership and Organizational Behavior taught by Taggart Frost. The class challenged his preconceived ideas about motivation and leadership. Mike feels that understanding different styles of motivation has made him a more effective leader.

He says, “Working full-time, having an active family, and being responsible for teaching youth at church have limited how much of my MBA work I have been able to apply at ASI. However, after graduation in June, this will change. As a result, come good economy or bad, I hope to see our profitability, ROI, and cash flow improve as these principles and tools are applied at ASI.”