Leadership Team

Richard was appointed CEO in March 2026 after serving as USIC's Chief Operating Officer for three years. His more than 30 years of operations leadership experience includes operations strategy and planning, field operations and service delivery and assurance in the telecommunications and information technology industries. Prior to joining USIC, he served as Executive Vice President of North America Operations for Lumen; held roles in wireless engineering and product management with AT&T; and served as Chief Operations Officer for Cbeyond, BroadRiver Communications and BellSouth.net. During his tenure with Cbeyond, he received the Atlanta Telecom Professional of the Year Award for innovation in the data center space.

Richard has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master's degree in information networking from Carnegie Mellon University.

Pavan joined USIC as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in December 2024. Previously, he served as CFO of Vialto Partners, a tax and mobility services company operating in over 50 countries, and held operational leadership roles in private and public companies across a range of industries, including telecommunication and professional services. He has extensive experience in private equity transactions and a strong record of success in driving improved business performance and growth in extremely complex business environments.

Pavan is a certified public accountant with an MBA in analytic finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an MBA in decision support systems from Simon Fraser University. 

Christa Harrell was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer in January 2026. A seasoned human resources leader, she began her career in the damage prevention industry as a dispatcher in 1995 and began building a strong operational foundation and awareness of the value of the employee experience.

Throughout her tenure with USIC, Christa has held progressive leadership roles in operations and human resources, including District Manager; Regional Director; and Vice President of Operations, with oversight of human resources, customer service, and information technology.

In her most recent role as Vice President of Human Resources for North America Operations, which she assumed in 2022, Christa led USIC's employee relations, labor relations, and employee engagement functions and partnered with the leadership team to strengthen company culture, support employees, and align workforce strategy with business objectives.

Christa completed the University of Chicago Booth School of Business' Executive Management Program.  

Jessica joined USIC as Chief Marketing Officer in April 2024. Prior to joining the company, she held the role of Global Communications Director for Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions, overseeing the business's worldwide communications and marketing efforts. She previously served as Vice President at a leading Philadelphia-area public relations firm, and worked in brand communications for two global pharmaceutical companies.

Jessica has significant experience in leading teams through times of transition, including following mergers and acquisitions. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and strives to build a culture of authenticity and trust.

Jessica is a graduate of Villanova University, where she studied public relations and political science. She is active in her community and has served on the board of directors of multiple local non-profit organizations. 

Jeremy was named Executive Vice President of Operations & Support in March 2026. He most recently served as Vice President of Operations and General Manager for USIC’s South Division, with responsibility for safety performance, service delivery, and P&L. With over 25 years of experience in the damage prevention industry, Jeremy began his USIC career as a locate technician and advanced to operations leadership roles, including Quality Assurance Manager, District Manager, and Regional Director of Operations. Throughout his tenure with the company, he has established a record of success in developing and leading teams in delivering sustained excellence in safety, service quality, and productivity.  

Jim was named Executive Vice President of Commercial Sales in March 2026. He joined USIC in August 2023 as Senior Vice President of National Sales to lead the Client Partner team in growing the company's largest accounts. Previously, Jim served as Vice President of Enterprise Sales at Aclara, a division of Hubbell Incorporated, which provides smart infrastructure solutions (SIS) to electric, gas, and water utilities.

Throughout a career spanning more than 30 years, Jim has managed commercial teams in sales of technology solutions and services, primarily to global utilities and telecommunication companies.

Jim has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and earned an MBA from the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh.

Rob joined USIC as Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations in November 2024. He previously served as Vice President and Global Services Business Leader of GE's legacy Water business. During his tenure with GE, he also held the roles of Large Project Global Sales Leader, Global ES Sales Leader, Global Commercial Operations Leader, and Global Engineering Leader. Following the acquisition of GE Water by Suez/Veolia, Rob served as Vice President, Margin and Procurement, for four global business lines.

Rob has a B.S. degree in chemistry from Randolph-Macon College and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.   

Keith was named Executive Vice President of Technology & Transformation in March 2026, after serving as Vice President of Quality Operations since joining USIC in 2024. 

Previously, Keith held a range of operations and technology leadership roles in the utilities sector, including with AT&T and Lumen, and served in tech consulting at Accenture. 

Keith has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Dane joined USIC in March 2022 to lead USIC's Advanced Infrastructure Solutions (AIS) Division. In November 2024, he was promoted to Executive Vice President, Sales and Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, to lead the Commercial organization in optimizing the synergies between USIC's 811 and AIS businesses to achieve growth. In July 2025, Dane's focus was directed on leading the USIC Commercial organization and driving growth for the company as Executive Vice President, Sales.      

A proven business leader, Dane most recently served as senior vice president, U.S. operations for Prosegur, a global supplier of security services and technologies, and previously held executive operational roles at Contemporary Services Corporation, a leader in public safety management for large, complex events. He has also served as an infantry officer with the U.S. Marine Corps.

Dane earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's CORe program.

Matt joined USIC in July 2025 as Executive Vice President, Advanced Infrastructure Solutions (AIS), comprised of affiliate companies Blood Hound Underground Utility Locating, RECONN Utility Services and On Target Utility Services. As leader of the company's AIS Division, Matt is focused on achieving significant long-term growth through new business, strategic cross-selling opportunities with USIC's Public Utility Locating (811) Division, integration of innovative technologies, and value-adding acquisitions.

In his most recent role, Matt served as CEO of Aquaporin, a Danish water filtration and biotechnology company. His background also includes an Operating Partner role at Cimbria Capital, a firm specializing in water industry investments. Previously, he held leadership positions at SUEZ - Water Technologies & Solutions as VP of Industrial Strategy, Growth, and Market Development, and at GE Water as a Market Leader and Key Account Executive in offshore oil & gas equipment. Earlier in his career, Matt worked as a project Engineer at Air Liquide and Field Service Engineer at GEA Group, focusing on industrial gases and biofuels, respectively. 

Matt holds bachelor's degrees in science and chemical engineering from McGill University, as well as an MBA in strategy and marketing from HEC Montreal. He has also earned a Certificate in Energy Management & Renewable Energy from Hydro-Quebec and an Executive Leadership Certificate from IESE. 

Deborah joined USIC as General Counsel & Corporate Secretary in July 2024, prior to which she served as Senior Vice President & General Counsel for Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions with oversight of the global company’s legal, ethics, compliance, insurance, and enterprise risk mitigation functions. Previously, she spent more than 15 years with General Electric (GE), advancing from the role of Executive Counsel and Director – Transactions EHS to Associate General Counsel and then to General Counsel for GE Water and Process Technologies. She began her legal career in private practice in Melbourne, Australia and London, England.

A proven leader of transformational change and the advancement of diversity and inclusion, Deborah provides trusted counsel to the organization’s leaders and employees, drives business strategy, and builds and upholds company culture.

Deborah earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science from LaTrobe University, a Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University, and a Master of Laws from Melbourne University. She is admitted to the Law Society of England & Wales, is an Authorized House Counsel – Connecticut, and has a Business Counsel License - Indiana (admission pending).