About Us

HigherGround has a rich legacy developing recording and incident reconstruction solutions that have been deployed in thousands of organizations

Our Mission

TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH RELIABLE SOLUTIONS THAT OPTIMIZE WORKFLOW AND MINIMIZE COSTS.

HigherGround develops software that captures and stores voice and omnichannel data from telecommunications and network interactions, efficiently retrieves data and generates reports. We provide customer support for installation, training, API integrations, and customization.

Our History

1973 – 1984

The Beginning

HigherGround began as Communication Advice and Design, a consulting company specializing on helping customers reduce telecommunication costs by using unique analysis techniques to identify their costs.

1985 – 1995

Next

Our focus changed to developing telecommunications software for consultants following the Modified Final Judgment of 1984, which broke up the AT&T monopoly. Our technology continued to evolve into call accounting and billing solutions, and the company incorporated as Communication Advice and Design, Inc. We worked with several voice recording companies and incorporated telecommunications searches and techniques to help them find calls using collected data.

1996 – 2024

Today

HigherGround developed our own recording solution joining our powerful reporting software and evolved into a company that offers two digital call recording software solutions, Capture911 and Calibre as well as a livestreaming application, Live911. Flexible integration, high reliability, customizability, ease of use, and responsive customer service make our solutions the preferred choice for mission-critical emergency dispatch communications and contact center quality assurance.

Leadership

Terry Ryan

CEO and
President

Terry Ryan crafts and executes the company’s vision and business plan, focusing on organizational and business development activities. Prior to becoming CEO and President, Ryan served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer.

Before joining HigherGround in 1997, he was the National Sales Manager for Hydraulics International. Ryan’s extensive technology background and experience also includes service in the United States Air Force as the Lead Mechanical Support Engineer for the C-17 program, the Joint Service Test Manager for a Classified Missile Development Program and a Project Engineer for several classified computer programs.

Mike Halliwell

Chief Revenue
Officer

Mike Halliwell oversees the development and execution of HigherGround’s revenue strategy, including sales leadership, marketing, customer retention, business development, strategic partnerships, and revenue operations.
Prior to becoming Chief Revenue Officer, Halliwell held several leadership positions at HigherGround, including Vice President of Sales, Director of Enterprise Sales, and Regional Sales Manager. He brings extensive expertise in the public safety command-and-control and contact center industries, specializing in communications recording, incident reconstruction, and operational intelligence solutions. Throughout his career, Halliwell has participated in numerous industry conferences, trade shows, and speaking engagements focused on emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices. A proud U.S. Army Infantry veteran, Halliwell combines strategic leadership, deep industry knowledge, and a customer-focused approach to help organizations achieve their operational and business objectives.

Richard Nguyen

Vice President,
Technical Operations

Richard Nguyen leads service and support operations and oversees the production, installation and training teams. His main responsibility is to manage the interaction between HigherGround’s customers and dealer network as it pertains to service and installation projects. Richard joined the HigherGround team 10 years ago and has served in many roles, including Project Manager and Director of Technical Operations, before being promoted to Vice President. During his tenure, he has streamlined the installation process within the company and continues to oversee innovative product improvements.

Mark Hamilton

Vice President,
Product Management

Mark Hamilton is responsible for guiding HigherGround’s product strategy, positioning, and development initiatives, ensuring the company’s solutions address the evolving needs of public safety agencies and mission-critical communications centers. He works closely with customers, industry standards bodies, and internal teams to identify emerging technologies, enhance product capabilities, and bring innovative solutions to market.
Hamilton brings more than 25 years of experience in public safety operations and technology, with a background spanning emergency communications, product innovation, and complex operational problem-solving. His expertise includes patented emergency response technologies, and he remains actively involved in the public safety community through volunteer fire service. His combination of technical knowledge and firsthand understanding of emergency response helps shape HigherGround’s continued innovation in recording, real-time communications, and AI-powered solutions.

Terry Ryan crafts and executes the company’s vision and business plan, focusing on organizational and business development activities. Prior to becoming CEO and President, Ryan served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer.

Before joining HigherGround in 1997, he was the National Sales Manager for Hydraulics International. Ryan’s extensive technology background and experience also includes service in the United States Air Force as the Lead Mechanical Support Engineer for the C-17 program, the Joint Service Test Manager for a Classified Missile Development Program and a Project Engineer for several classified computer programs.

Mike Halliwell oversees the development and execution of HigherGround’s revenue strategy, including sales leadership, marketing, customer retention, business development, strategic partnerships, and revenue operations.
Prior to becoming Chief Revenue Officer, Halliwell held several leadership positions at HigherGround, including Vice President of Sales, Director of Enterprise Sales, and Regional Sales Manager. He brings extensive expertise in the public safety command-and-control and contact center industries, specializing in communications recording, incident reconstruction, and operational intelligence solutions. Throughout his career, Halliwell has participated in numerous industry conferences, trade shows, and speaking engagements focused on emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices. A proud U.S. Army Infantry veteran, Halliwell combines strategic leadership, deep industry knowledge, and a customer-focused approach to help organizations achieve their operational and business objectives.

Richard Nguyen leads service and support operations and oversees the production, installation and training teams. His main responsibility is to manage the interaction between HigherGround’s customers and dealer network as it pertains to service and installation projects. Richard joined the HigherGround team 10 years ago and has served in many roles, including Project Manager and Director of Technical Operations, before being promoted to Vice President. During his tenure, he has streamlined the installation process within the company and continues to oversee innovative product improvements.

Mark Hamilton is responsible for guiding HigherGround’s product strategy, positioning, and development initiatives, ensuring the company’s solutions address the evolving needs of public safety agencies and mission-critical communications centers. He works closely with customers, industry standards bodies, and internal teams to identify emerging technologies, enhance product capabilities, and bring innovative solutions to market.
Hamilton brings more than 25 years of experience in public safety operations and technology, with a background spanning emergency communications, product innovation, and complex operational problem-solving. His expertise includes patented emergency response technologies, and he remains actively involved in the public safety community through volunteer fire service. His combination of technical knowledge and firsthand understanding of emergency response helps shape HigherGround’s continued innovation in recording, real-time communications, and AI-powered solutions.

CONTRACTS & PATENT INFO

The following HigherGround, Inc. product is protected by a patent in the United States and elsewhere around the world. This webpage is provided to satisfy the virtual patent marking provisions of various jurisdictions including the virtual patent marking provisions of the America Invents Act (AIA). The following list of HigherGround, Inc. products may not be all inclusive, and other HigherGround, Inc. products not listed here may be protected by one or more patents.

US Patent No. 11,206,327
US Patent No. 11,582,339
Australia Patent No. 2020382517
Australia Patent No. 2022204446
Canada Patent No. 3,156,945
Europe Patent No. 20888053.4
Mexico Patent No. 399784
New Zealand Patent No. 788400