People news from around the industry.

William E. Soderberg, a registered Michigan and Florida surveyor, passed away April 23, 2003, at the age of 64. He was a member of ACSM-NSPS, MSPS and FSPLS. He was the NSPS Governor for Michigan from 1993-1995; director of MSPS 1984-1991; and president of MSPS in 1991. He owned and ran Soderberg Consulting and was currently serving as county remonumentation surveyor for Lapeer, St. Clair and Macomb Counties in Michigan.

Topcon, Pleasanton, Calif., announced an executive-level shift in its sales and marketing organization.

Effective May 1, 2003, Charles Rihner is vice president of marketing and Jamie Williamson is vice president of sales.

Rihner directs all marketing activity for Topcon. Williamson will be joined by Murray Lodge, promoted to national sales manager for machine control and laser products,

and Peter Wallace, national sales manager for survey and GPS products, to oversee all sales activities of Topcon.

Tripod Data Systems (TDS), Corvallis, Ore., is now the distributor of Nikon survey products in the United States, including sales, support and service. Trimble, TDS's parent company, and Nikon Corporation previously announced the formation of a joint venture in Japan, Nikon-Trimble Co., Ltd. with Trimble and Nikon each 50 percent owners.