The people behind the instruments

Amber Onufer was named President of Exploration Instruments (EXI) in February 2026, after serving three years as General Manager and Head of Business Development.

A field geophysicist with more than 17 years of experience in near-surface geophysics, Amber has worked extensively with GPR, ERT, TDEM, and multibeam sonar technologies. Before joining EXI, she held technical, training, and business development roles with MALA/Guideline USA, GSSI, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Amber holds a B.S. in Geology with a concentration in Physics from the College of Charleston and a B.S. in Animal Science from North Carolina State University.

At EXI, Amber combines her technical expertise and industry experience with a strong focus on growing the company and providing clients with the equipment and support they need to succeed.

Beginning with geothermal exploration in the mid-1970s, Dennis has worked in geophysics for 50 years, from crew chief to management. A Partner in Electrodyne Surveys in Reno in the late ’70s, then Field Operations and Data Processing Manager, VP Marketing, and VP Administration/Field Ops through the Phoenix Geophysics and Phoenix Geoscience years in Denver and Toronto, he has participated in and directed geophysical surveys all over the world.

Moving to Austin in 1990 as Vice President of Marketing at Geotools, Dennis turned his attention to software, spending eight years on EM workstation tools. Since 1998 he has been at the helm of Exploration Instruments as founding Partner and first President/CEO. Stepping back from day-to-day leadership in March 2026, he now concentrates on developing new markets for the EXI inventory and evaluating new technologies.

Dennis is a registered Professional Geoscientist in Texas, a member of EEGS, AEG, and AGU, and a 25-year member of SEG. He is past Vice-President of EEGS and past President — now Treasurer — of the EEGS Foundation. In 2024, EEGS honored him with the John Nichol Memorial Award for his contributions to the engineering and environmental geophysics community.

Oversees the client experience from initial inquiry through the completion of each rental, managing reservations, scheduling, onboarding, and coordination across EXI’s operations. Often the first point of contact for clients, John works closely with both clients and EXI’s internal teams to keep projects moving, requirements clear, and each stage of the rental process on track. With more than 15 years of experience in customer service and management, he brings a relationship-focused approach to EXI, combining responsive communication, practical problem-solving, and the ability to manage the many moving pieces of a fast-paced rental operation.

Part of the EXI team since 2000, supporting clients and keeping the equipment operating at its best. Seth’s role covers everything from technical support and equipment repairs to testing, troubleshooting, and just about everything in between. After more than two decades in the industry, he enjoys putting his experience to work helping clients get the equipment and support they need to get the job done.

Ken is a geophysicist and technical support specialist who enjoys helping clients tackle challenging geophysical projects and find practical solutions in the field. With five years of experience in the geosciences, he specializes in near-surface seismic, electrical resistivity, and ground-penetrating radar. Ken earned his B.S. in Geophysics with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Houston — drawn in by curiosity about how the Earth works, a curiosity that still drives his work today.

For Ken, the most rewarding part of the job is working through a problem with a client and finding the solution that gets a project moving — troubleshooting equipment, talking through survey methods, or figuring out how to approach a difficult field challenge. Away from work he is a father who enjoys staying active with his family, and when fall rolls around you can usually find him enjoying his favorite time of year: football season.

Liz has been an integral part of EXI for more than 26 years, serving as Office Manager and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Austin office. She manages accounts payable, HR, and payroll for both the Austin and Harrisburg offices, along with EXI’s accounts receivable and tax operations.

As the primary point of contact for billing inquiries and collections, Liz enjoys working with clients to keep every account accurate while building lasting relationships. More than a quarter century at EXI, on top of her earlier background in accounting and bookkeeping, has made her experience and company knowledge invaluable to the team.

With more than 30 years in the geophysical equipment rental industry, Jeff has spent his career testing, maintaining, and supporting the Eastern fleet and the many clients who rely on it. He has worked in geophysics and environmental instrumentation since 1995.

Jeff runs EXI’s Pennsylvania office, managing the flow of rental equipment in and out, helping schedule rentals, and giving clients hands-on technical support and troubleshooting. He also leads calibration, maintenance, and repair for the Harrisburg fleet and trains and oversees the office’s technicians.

Kevin joined EXI’s Harrisburg office in 2025 as a Geoscientist, bringing a B.A. in Geoscience from Franklin & Marshall College and more than four years of field experience with shallow geophysical techniques.

At EXI, he leads technical support and sales for MOHO products and supports clients across the company’s LiDAR and UXO equipment lines, including conducting equipment training and support for government and commercial clients. Kevin also represents EXI annually at SAGEEP and supports the day-to-day operations of the Harrisburg office, from equipment testing and preparation to packing and shipping rentals.

Beau has been part of the EXI team since the Harrisburg office opened in 2016. He works the equipment side of the rental operation: inspecting every instrument as it comes back, making sure each component is accounted for, and cleaning and preparing it for the next rental.

He also helps assemble outgoing orders when needed, working behind the scenes to keep equipment moving smoothly through the Harrisburg office. After many years with EXI, Beau brings a dependable, hands-on approach to keeping the fleet organized and ready for clients.