About REF TEK

The REF TEK journey began when it was founded by Paul Passmore in 1975 as Refraction Technology Inc. to produce quality, niche seismic monitoring products for the land, marine and oil exploration markets. In 2012, the REF TEK brand was acquired by Trimble Navigation. In 2020, it returned to its engineering/customer service roots when it was purchased by Reftek Systems Inc.

Our Leadership Team

Meet the Team

The REF TEK team encompasses decades of experience in designing and supporting seismic monitoring systems for every part of the world and every environmental challenge. Each one of them brings engineering insight, in the field practicality and commitment to customer success.

Team

Derek Inglis

President & CEO

Derek Inglis is no stranger to the seismic community, although better known in ocean science circles. Derek’s other hat is as President & CEO of Xeos Technologies Inc. and a Manufacturing engineer by training. Xeos products include a line of remote telemetry products under the Alert Geomatics label which is how he came to appreciate how he could contribute to the seismic scientific and structural monitoring communities. Derek’s business philosophy is that of no-nonsense excellence – well engineered, thoughtful products which fit a genuine need that are reasonably priced and excellently supported.

Gareth Hoar

Chief Technology Officer

Gareth Hoar is also CTO of Xeos Technologies Inc. and is well known as a meticulous, inventive engineer with expertise in low power, reliable systems. His decades of experience are invaluable for his team and he leads in charting new territory in innovation as well as ensuring designs are reliable and supportable

Paul Passmore

President Emeritus

Paul Passmore was the founder of Refraction Technology Inc., better known as REF TEK. The company he built was focused on providing well engineered, reliable products with a strong customer service ethic, work he continues today as Business Manager of Advanced Seismic Instrumentation & Research (ASIR Seismic LLC). Paul and Derek have a friendship based on a shared business philosophy. Although retired, Paul has taken on the role of a much-respected advisor for Reftek Systems Inc.

Phil Davidson

Chief of Engineering

Phil is leader of a team of innovative engineers and technicians on the REF TEK product line. He joined REF TEK in 1987 brings those decades of experience to the drafting table. He has a comprehensive understanding of the design decisions behind each feature of hardware and software. Phil is an integral component of the team and a key architect of plans for future development currently underway.

Antonio Sanchez

Director of Customer Service

Antonio Sanchez is well known to any field technician who has run into a problem as well as countless organizations who have taken advantage of field system design & commissioning services. With decades of experience in REF TEK products and an engineering background, Antonio is a consummate professional whose team can quickly get to the heart of your problem and resolve it efficiently.

Mitchell MacInnis

Business Manager

Mitchell is responsible for guiding the success of REF TEK's products and ensuring the needs of the scientific and monitoring communities are well met.  An engineer by trade, he has experience developing both Geodetic and Seismic equipment. Mitchell enjoys partaking in technical discussions with customers and exploring big ideas for REF TEK's future. He is also responsible for managing REF TEK's California Strong Motion Monitoring Business.

Gregg Sayh

Director of Sales - Asia Pacific Region

Gregg Sayh earned a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston, MA in the year 2000.  His career began with General Electric as a sales engineer in the San Francisco bay area.  Gregg first joined Reftek in 2011 as the Sales Engineer for the Asia Pacific Region.  Previously serving as the Continental Sales Manager for Trimble Navigation, Gregg now performs as the Director of Sales for the Asia Pacific region for Reftek Systems Inc. 

1981

REF TEK supplied a digital telemetry system to the University of California, San Diego for use in the ANZA area. The network was the first digital telemetry system in the USA and is successfully operating to this day.

1984

IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) was formed as a consortium of more than 110 American Universities. IRIS focuses on the Global Seismological Network (GSN) and the Program for Array Seismic Studies of the Continental Lithosphere (PASSCAL). PASSCAL issued a competitive bid for stations for the purpose of recording reflection & refraction and passive broadband data for elucidation of the crust down to the mantle. PASSCAL chose the REF TEK design approach.

1988

REF TEK delivered the first portable digital acquisition stations to IRIS under the PASSCAL program. More than 1000 units have been supplied to IRIS since then.

1991

REF TEK re-designed a Hewlett-Packard 24-bit digitizer to provide a high resolution digitizing and recording system to the International Deployment of Accelerometers (IDA) program of the University of California, San Diego. IDA is now part of the IRIS GSN program. Approximately 30% of all GSM stations use REF TEK instruments.

2003

The 130S Broadband Seismic Recorder is introduced as the 3rd generation of REF TEK digitizers

2008

Refraction Technology Inc. and the REF TEK brand are acquired by Trimble Inc.

2013

REF TEK completes the structural monitoring contract for the Aswan Dam in Egypt. A comprehensive and flexible approach was required for incorporating the Old Dam and the new High Dam systems into one seamless approach.

2013

Introduction of the MRF format, used in the 130-REN Rapid Event Notification system installed across China.

2014

India Meteorological Department (IMD) contracts with REF TEK to provide the backbone of its Earthquake Early Warning System.

2014

REF TEK Introduces the Kestrel Integrated High Resolution SeismoGeodetic system with GNSS Receiver and Internal Accelerometer, with RTX Enabled.

2017

REF TEK adds the 9 channel 130-SMHR to its structural monitoring product line.

2019

REF TEK introduces the Wrangler, a portable high-resolution seismic recorder to replace the 130S 3rd Generation Recorder.

2020

The REF TEK brand is acquired by Reftek Systems Inc. and manufacturing is moved to Dartmouth, NS Canada.

What comes next?

Reftek Systems Inc. is excited to bring its experience in the field and in extreme environments to the R&D table. Look for new influences as new products are rolled out!

Over 7,000 REF TEK instruments are deployed globally for:

  • 2-D and 3-D reflection
  • Earthquake aftershock recording
  • Earthquake Early Warning Systems (EEW)
  • Hazard Mitigation
  • Injected oil & gas well monitoring
  • Mining exploration using IP, MT, EM, SCAMT techniques
  • Passive broadband tomography
  • Passive broadband imaging
  • Passive short-period imaging
  • Portable background Noise Surveys
  • Portable earthquake monitoring
  • Oil Field VSP Recording
  • Structural Monitoring
  • Telemetry earthquake monitoring
  • Telemetry verification monitoring
  • Wide angle reflection
  • Wide angle refraction
faultlines and infrastructure