Abi-Karam cites three significant opportunities that open up as a result of the new business combination. "First, we have a huge global opportunity to bring together our expertise in location intelligence and address verification to become the most comprehensive and accurate provider of consumer and business-to-business data for marketing or business transactions. Second, our ability to integrate customer data with psychographic and demographic data creates a broad suite of marketing and decision-making tools for industry verticals, such as insurance, retail, and government, where location information is critical. Finally, we will create a single organization that can work with our marketing services business to enhance our current offerings to marketing executives at companies of all sizes."

Hickey is a 12-year veteran of Pitney Bowes MapInfo. He served as the company's chief operating officer from 2002 to 2007 and was named president earlier this year.

"This step will benefit both companies and their customers by providing them the best of what both MapInfo and Group 1 Software have to offer," says Hickey. "The two companies have formed a close working relationship, and this announcement is a very positive move for our respective customers and employees."