As part of our Faces of smartmicro series, we regularly introduce the people behind our technology and solutions around the world. This time, we’re shining the spotlight on Eric Newman, Regional Sales Manager for the Northeast United States and part of smartmicro’s newly introduced direct sales and support team in the US.
Based in New York State, Eric supports transportation agencies across the Northeast, combining deep industry knowledge with a relationship-driven approach. In this interview, he shares his professional journey, insights into the regional ITS landscape, and what motivates him both on and off the road.
Could you tell us a bit about your professional background and what led you to join smartmicro?
My career began working as a GIS Analyst for a regional planning and transportation agency, followed by New York State’s Department of Transportation as a regional GIS Coordinator. Midway through my career, I switched to the private sector, offering remote sensing and data solutions to DOTs and government entities. I first learned of smartmicro and their offerings for the automotive and traffic industries in 2018 while working for another manufacturer. Fast forward to 2024, one of my mentors joined smartmicro, and because of his leadership and smartmicro’s brand reputation, the decision to work at smartmicro was easy.
What does your role as Regional Sales Manager for the Northeast involve on a daily basis?
The traffic industry is highly relationship-driven, which I find enjoyable. Day-to-day, there are numerous outreach efforts from my home office, as well as life on the road. This industry requires face time at conferences, field demonstrations, and product overviews in their signal shops.
How does it feel to be part of smartmicro’s newly introduced direct sales and support team in the US?
Mike Rose has captured an amazing team spread across the US, so our growing organization is stoked about building something big. Working directly for smartmicro, we serve as a direct conduit between customers and headquarters, much like our TRUGRD sensor’s ability to track both incoming and departing traffic. It is one thing to teach our customers our unique features, design and installation best practices, but we also listen to what is important to them, and we share this information with engineering for consideration with new product developments.
What excites you most about working with smartmicro’s radar technology and ITS solutions?
If you ask any American which country is known for engineering, we all say Germany without hesitation. So, working for a German-based company says a lot to our customers. The quality of what has been designed, tested, and proven will speak for itself. With long-range detection and accuracy combined with seamless tracking, no one else can offer this solution.
What trends or challenges do you see in the Northeast region when it comes to traffic management and intelligent mobility?
The Northeast US is moving detection out of the ground at a rapid rate, so it is important for our customers to understand the pros and cons of the given technology, such as longevity, performance in inclement weather, and whether the detection is capable of detecting well beyond the box and stop bar. Besides standard detection, our customers need precise data from our roadways. It can be as simple as the ability to pull data for PM peak travel for select lanes for a given date range, to specific datasets for ATSPMs. If anyone wishes to know more about ATSPMs and why they should measure versus model, I know who to put them in touch with.
What do you enjoy most about living and working in the Northeast? Any favorite places or activities you would recommend?
Growing up, I lived in many different parts of the US and three different countries, so it’s hard to believe I have been in New York for 26 years. The summers are short, and the winters are long, but overall, I enjoy this part of the country because of the variety and its history. We live in the middle of New York state, so we are several hours from six major North American cities, all of which have their own character. New York has a lot to offer, from New York City to the Adirondacks and the unique geology of the Thousand Islands. Currently, we live near the Finger Lakes, which is a beautiful part of the Empire State.
Are you into any sports or local teams, or is there a hobby that keeps you energized outside of work?
I used to road and mountain bike a lot more when I had more time. Mountain biking is still my favorite sport. Over the past decade, I have been jogging and running to stay in shape. I suppose I’m at an age where I should take up pickleball. I enjoy the Olympics and the World Cup, watching teams representing their home countries. I’m looking forward to the Netherlands and their speedskating, and the US with their slopestyle snowboarding and skiing teams at the upcoming 2026 Winter Games.
How do you like to spend your weekends or time off?
Most weekends, I am spending time with the family and likely doing something in the yard. In the summer and fall, we will have a fire in the backyard while having a beer or five with our neighbors.
Thank you, Eric, for taking the time to share your story and insights. We’re excited to have you as part of smartmicro’s growing direct sales and support team in the US and look forward to shaping the future of intelligent traffic solutions together.