The History of GPA

Start Date: January 1996, Wilmington, NC

I, Roel Harsta, was born in the Netherlands and graduated from MTS Leeuwarden with a degree in Electrical Engineering. I pursued my first job with an engineering firm at the age of 22. I was always interested in traveling to other countries and spent years commissioning spray dryers and evaporators for the dairy industry across the world. One of those jobs was with a small firm in Litchfield, MN, about 60 miles west of Minneapolis.

Roel Harsta Founder and Previous CEO

It was 1983, and as a DJ in the Netherlands, I had always been intrigued by the United States. I loved the music scene and wanted the experience of working in the U.S. During that job, I was introduced to Fisher Controls and their DCS Provox system. What was initially supposed to be a six-week startup turned into an 18-month engagement, requiring me to travel back and forth to the U.S. After this period, the local Fisher Controls representative offered me a job in Minneapolis, where I worked for almost two years and learned a lot about the control system—this was my first link to what would become GPA.

I later moved to Canada and worked for seven years for the local Fisher rep in Montreal. I applied for a U.S. green card during my first year, but it took seven years before I received it. Once approved, I returned to the U.S. and worked for Pfizer in Indiana for two years. A coworker, Paul, told me about Wilmington, NC. After spending time in the cornfields, I wanted to return to the ocean, where I had grown up in the Netherlands. So, I moved to Kure Beach, just outside Wilmington.

That’s where the GPA story begins. At 23, while still in the Netherlands, I had started my own company doing electrical design drawings. However, with a 69% tax rate, I realized that wasn’t sustainable. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to start an automation company in Wilmington, leveraging my expertise with the Fisher Provox system (now Emerson DeltaV). I met a guy named Robert Brinker, who was interested in handling sales. I also had local friends, John Marriott and Juha Lethinen (the latter worked at International Paper in Riegelwood at the time). We brainstormed and created three companies: Global Process Automation, Global Networks, and Global Traders. With John from Canada, Juha from Finland, and my Dutch background, our goal was to cover automation, IT, and trade—hence the website www.global-business.net. That was January 1996.

Robert visited International Paper Riegelwood to introduce GPA. He met Robert Dansby and, trying to break the ice, mentioned we were a new company and that the main owner was a soccer player. Robert, who was a goalie for a local team, asked who it was. After Robert described my long hair and said I was from the Netherlands, he replied, “That’s the guy who kicked me last week!” I remember hearing that story and thinking we’d never get contract work at IP. But we did—and that’s a story in itself.

In 1996, right after International Paper purchased Federal Paper Board, Riegelwood elected a new plant manager. At the time, the plant had the largest ABB DCS installation in North America. The new manager declared ABB had a monopoly and that the next project would use Fisher Provox—much to the dismay of engineers, maintenance, and purchasing. He stuck to his decision, and that’s about the time we walked through the door offering DCS services. I became the startup and maintenance coordinator for the project. From unpacking the equipment to power-up and startup (Orion in Atlanta had done the initial configuration), I handled it all.

Bill Medcalf Vice President, Development & Support

I began looking for people, and our employee # 001 was Bill Medcalf. Bill is GPA’s longest-serving employee, and I can’t thank him enough for his years of dedicated service. On his first day at Riegelwood, he was met by the local sheriff, who informed him that his former boss had filed a lawsuit and enforced a non-compete. We consulted with a local attorney and resolved it the next day.

John Marriott, a friend from my time in Montreal, joined the company. Together, we went to UNCW to meet with an IT professor, hoping to find a graduate for our small team. The professor handed us three resumes—two in his left hand, one in his right. We took the hint and picked Daniel Lee. We pretended Front Street Brewery was our office and invited Dan for an interview. We told each other, “If he doesn’t order a beer, we’re not hiring him.” Dan ordered a beer—and the rest is history. He is now GPA’s CEO and has done amazing things for the company.

We kept hiring and expanding into new industries across North Carolina. We completed many projects at IP, thanks largely to Dwight Peay, the local DCS manager. Because IP had a hiring freeze for years, we were able to grow steadily. I often think back to the Lime Kiln job, where we converted 2,400 I/O over six months with only a handful of people and just two full days of downtime. We converted I/O on the fly, daily, with the help of local operators. IP Manager Chris Rogge once told me it couldn’t be done, but with help from Dan and Jennifer Sandstrom, we pulled it off.

Now, in 2025, GPA still has a multi-year contract with International Paper—almost 30 years later. GPA is the only vendor managing both IT and DCS for all of International Paper; all other sites are managed by IP employees.

In the early 2000s, Georgia-Pacific in Rincon, GA, called us for support. I went to Georgia while Dan managed the Wilmington office. I relocated to Bluffton, SC, where I still live today. We hired several engineers and succeeded for a few years, until GP halted all contractor work between Christmas and New Year’s.

Our growth continued across multiple industries. Around this time, I met Chaz Ballish in Hilton Head, where his son, Alex (Zinho), attended the same school as my boys. We bonded over soccer. Later, after Alex finished his time in Brazil trying out for pro clubs, I hired Chaz.

Here are the principles I believe still define GPA today:

1. Honesty and Integrity Too many companies low-bid projects, only to hit clients with change orders. I always believed in quoting honestly and only issuing change orders when the project changed. We may have lost some projects this way, but we gained long-term trust—which is more valuable.

2. Employee Care From day one, I prioritized our people. We offered flexible hours, sick leave, bonuses, and, most importantly, appreciation. I knew employees’ families and would ask their spouses if they ever complained about work or needed additional training. We provided healthcare, 401(k), and continually added new benefits. I even hired my son, Eric, one summer to do CAD work. Over time, he learned PLC and DCS programming, and Dan and others have managed him since (thanks, Courtney!).

Later, we secured a contract in Hopewell, VA, thanks to Dave Anderson, a former IP Riegelwood manager who hired us based on our long-standing relationship. That’s where I hired several new employees, including De Robertson, who is now a GPA partner.

In 2017, at the annual Christmas party, I announced my retirement from GPA. After nearly 22 years at the helm, it was time for Dan, Chaz, and De to lead. I am incredibly proud of what they’ve accomplished and the growth they’ve led.

A final shoutout to all the employees I worked with over the years: we were a family, and I will never forget your contributions to GPA.

I remain a minority owner and continue to follow the company from afar. Full retirement isn’t in the cards yet. My family and I now run a vertical farm, Hardee Greens LLC, in Bluffton, SC.

Roel Harsta

May 5, 2025