Our Team

GridHawk is led by a seasoned team of utility locating industry executives with a best-in-class track record for safety and on-time performance.

Paul Baugher

Chief Executive Officer

Paul is responsible for building the company from the ground up. He creates long-term relationships alongside damage prevention leadership at leading utility customers and has 25+ years of utility locating and damage prevention services experience. This includes 16+ years in senior leadership positions with GridHawk and other companies. During his quarter-century of service in utility asset damage prevention, Paul has overseen thousands of projects of various sizes and complexity. He has saved clients millions of dollars and made sure that excavation work was done on time.

Chris Cuzalina

Chairman and Co-Founder

Chris is a co-founder of GridHawk who is passionate about building and growing companies. Drawing on his deep experience in private equity investing as a founding partner of Cascata Capital, he makes sure that GridHawk is financially sound and strategically positioned to provide the best possible service to our customers and employees. Chris has an MBA from Stanford University and BBA from the University of Oklahoma along with over 25 years of experience investing in and building companies.

Dennis Tarosky

COO

Dennis manages our daily operations and supervises employees’ day-to-day activities. His 16+ years of experience in the utility and telecom industries guide him in his duties. This proficiency includes him serving as President and CEO of UtiliQuest/STS/Locating Inc. for eight years and CFO of for three years. During his tenure, Dennis fostered sustained profitability and growth. He earned his Bachelor of Accountancy from Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s degree from Long Island University.

Jimmy Schauer

President of Strategic Alignment and Ancillary Services

With over two decades of experience in the utility and natural gas sector, Jimmy step into this role as a servant leader deeply committed to safety, operational excellence, and legacy. He spent his career in both the boardroom and the right-of-way, and he understands that true impact requires immersion in every level of the business.

This new division encompasses four critical service lines: Leak Detection, Leak Survey (including advanced Picarro technology), Meter Services (turn-ons and turn-offs), and Hydro Vac operations. Our mission is to transform these essential services into a best-in-class business unit—streamlined, high-performing, and fully integrated.

Brock Hokenson

CFO

Brock drives the company’s financial strategy and oversees all finance and accounting functions. Before joining GridHawk, he held leadership roles with R1 RCM, KPMG US, and SurePayroll. Brock earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from North Dakota State University. A former U.S. Navy officer, Brock began his career serving aboard nuclear submarines.

Brandon Renfro

President, GridHawk LLC

Brandon has over 19 years of damage prevention industry experience. He runs each job with military precision, and not just because he’s an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. It’s because as a seasoned overseer of damage-prevention teams, he fully understands the value of a smooth operation.

Jason Prince

Senior Director – I.T.

Jason is an accomplished IT executive with nearly two decades of experience leading enterprise technology strategy, digital transformation, and large-scale infrastructure modernization. He has directed multimillion-dollar initiatives spanning cloud migrations, ERP implementations, cybersecurity, and M&A integrations—delivering measurable efficiency, compliance, and scalability gains. Known for his people-first leadership and results-driven approach, Jason excels at building high-performing teams and aligning technology with business strategy. He holds numerous professional certifications and dual bachelor’s degrees in Computer Network Management and Live Sound Engineering.

Mimi Ramos

Vice President of Human Resources

Mimi is a Human Resources Management specialist with a proven, 20+ year record of creating cultures of genuine care and collaboration. She is responsible for formulating our strategic staffing plans and for overseeing all personnel-related matters including labor relations, compensation, benefits packages, and training & development. Mimi welcomes the opportunity to speak with you about a career at GridHawk.

Scot Anderson

Safety Director

Scot brings more than two and a half decades of experience in the safety and training industry, beginning his career in 1999. Holding the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Safety Management Professional (SMP) certifications from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), he has developed a deep expertise in worksite assessment, hazard identification, and risk management. As an authorized OSHA Outreach instructor, he is also dedicated to advancing industry knowledge through education.

At GridHawk, Scot provides expert advice, guidance, and support for daily field labor activities across multiple sites. His open communication and dedication to creating a strong safety culture continue to earn the trust of hardworking GridHawk professionals.

Tom Orth

Director of Training

Tom maintains the comprehensive training program here at GridHawk. His dedication encourages GridHawk employees to embrace our culture of continuous learning. Tom perfects our training system by analyzing skills gaps to guide course development. He excels in this role thanks to his extensive experience with electromagnetic locating. Tom previously held similar positions with UTTO, Consolidated Infrastructure Group, USIC, and Premier Utility Services.

Nancy Cooley

Director of Quality & Compliance

One reason why GridHawk is the preferred underground asset damage-prevention company of so many is the quality of our people. Nancy is dedicated to making sure everyone here is fully trained to deliver the excellent service you expect. She has 22+ years of experience in the damage prevention industry as a Training Director and QA/QC Manager. She is a Midwest Energy Association Operator Qualification Certified Evaluator and previously held the position of Quality Improvement Manager at a national damage prevention company.

Christian Berger

Strategic Advisor & Founding Board Member

Christian is a co-founder and GridHawk board member. He is a senior advisor at McGuireWoods LLP, a leading international law firm, where he supports the firm’s private equity, mergers and acquisitions and debt finance practice groups. Christian also has a successful track record as an investor in private, entrepreneurial companies. It takes visionaries like Christian to keep our feet on the ground so we can clearly see what awaits you under the ground.