Bill Thompson was anguishing over an ever-deepening problem that threatened the ability of one of Tennessee’s largest water providers to effectively serve its customers.
As general manager of the White House Utility District (WHUD) just north of Nashville, Thompson had always prided himself on being a practical executive—one who didn’t blindly follow the latest trends or conventional wisdom. He saw himself as a leader open to change and one who wanted employees to be empowered to make decisions without relying on layers of supervisors.
But he wasn’t just open to change; Thompson had always tried to anticipate change. In 1992, when geographic information systems (GIS) were a rarity in the water industry, Thompson recognized the potential of the technology and began the implementation of GIS. ...continued ...