Fargo company growing, adds Silicon Valley executive

FARGO, N.D. (AP) A software company that started in the basement of a Fargo home has increased its work force from 21 to 32 people and moved into a new building.

Pedgree Technologies also added Ian McPherson, a former analyst who founded two Silicon Valley companies. McPherson says the energy world in Silican Valley is too green for his taste.

Pedigree's software allows such users as fuel distributors to remotely track and monitor information on the Internet. CEO Alex Warner, who founded the company five years ago, compares the technology to Facebook with equipment and machines.

Warner says the tanks act as dispatchers, and send messages to trucking areas if they need filling.

One of Pedigree's customers is Farstad oil of Minot. Farstad transportation manager Eric Lawson said the Pedigree software has eliminated the need for most last-minute product deliveries.

Pedigree won an $8.4 million Defense Department contract in 2007 to use its technology for surveillance and UAVs.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-01-09 1440CST | save this article / add to your favorites list