about

History

Founded on a commitment to innovation and service, SISO Engineering is committed to revolutionizing the way turbines are operated, maintained and improved, evolving with the times while staying true to our core values.

OUR HISTORY

SISO Engineering was founded in 2018 in Houston, Texas by Max Erwin and Kellan McCarthy to provide reliable automation and controls solutions for the power plant industry. What began as a focused effort to bring trustworthy expertise to gas turbine operations has evolved into a full-service engineering controls consultancy and integrator.

Over the years, our team has built a strong reputation for delivering dependable support, advanced control system design, and strategic upgrades. Our expertise spans industry-standard platforms including Mark Vie, ControlST, Machine Edition, and RSLogix. Whether it’s modernizing a control system or troubleshooting complex operational challenges, we provide our clients with a deep understanding of automation systems and a commitment to excellence.

As part of our mission to revolutionize how turbines are controlled and automated, we’ve developed two proprietary services that are reshaping site operations. Snapshot, our subscription-based monitoring platform, provides powerful insight and analysis of site assets to ensure peak performance and early issue detection. SmartWash, our advanced gas turbine cleaning solution, helps facilities maintain efficiency, extend equipment life, and reduce operational costs.

Today, SISO Engineering continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in control systems, automation, and turbine optimization. Backed by a wide breadth of expertise and a forward-thinking mindset, we’re proud to be helping sites operate smarter, cleaner, and more efficiently—one project at a time.

HISTORY TIMELINE

[ 2017 ]

THE SPARK

Max Erwin and Kellan McCarthy are laid off during a major corporate downturn.

Frustrated by the lack of customer support in controls for aging turbines, they begin brainstorming how to do things differently.

[ 2018 ]

FOUNDATION AND THE SCRUM

Max files the LLC for SISO Engineering. Kellan joins the next day.

What’s in the name SISO: Single-input Single-output Started with a simple goal: earn enough money to stay in business.

Worked across multiple states, often remotely or in a RV. Met only three times in person in an entire year.

[ 2019 ]

EARLY GROWTH AND HARDWARE EXPANSION

Decided to prioritize remote monitoring over commissioning services

Launched hardware sales to be a value add to customer base.

Built reputation through fast response times and customer-first approach.

[ 2019 ]

THE BIRTH OF SNAPSHOT

Kellan leaves behind a small diagnostics tool at various sites, sparking the opportunity for proactive data monitoring.

Developed the first version of SnapShot, originally known internally as “Blue Label Support.”

[ 2020 ]

PRODUCTS, PANDEMIC, AND PROACTIVE SUPPORT

Released Snapshot V1L in California with first customer. Despite COVID-19, power plants remain operational.

Team expands

Arizona signs 3-year agreement for Snapshot.

Kellan quarantines in Australia with family while supporting international clients.

[ 2021 ]

STREAMING DATA AND BREAKTHROUGH TECH

Land major accounts: growing support to 8 sites.

Matrix Box released—first on-site hardware for data collection and diagnostics and data.

Launch TDCS (Turbine Data Collection System), enabling cloud-based streaming data.

First to offer 2-second, real-time turbine data in the industry.

[ 2022 ]

STRATEGY, SECURITY, AND SCALING

Team planning retreat in Breckenridge focuses on structure and long-term growth.

All major clients move to streaming data Snapshot v1.2.

Develop security solutions for data onboarding.

Integration of dashboards and remote access tools begins.

[ 2023 ]

DASHBOARD EXCELLENCE AND TEAM EXPANSION

Team expands, transforming dashboards from basic to polished, fast, and visually rich.

[ 2024 ]

SMARTWASH LAUNCH AND CYBER SNAPSHOT

Launch of SmartWash: fully automated gas turbine cleaning system.

Launched SnapShot 1.6 and 1.7 with cyber capabilities.

Mobile generation support enables alarm-forwarding and remote plant monitoring.

[ 2025 ]

READY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER

SISO is a proven full-service engineering consultancy with deep expertise in:

Turbine control systems
Real-time streaming analytics
Automation hardware and software

Continue to expand Snapshot and SmartWash, with new digital and cyber integrations.