URISA 2008 Annual Conference & Exposition - HIGHLIGHTS
October 7-10, 2008 • New Orleans
Spatially Enabling the Enterprise
Read through the Final Program
"I am truly lucky to have had the opportunity to attend the URISA 2008 Conference in New Orleans, not only for the abundance of information regarding GIS but also to get to meet with each of you. The conference was phenomenal, but above and beyond I most enjoyed every one of our conversations the best. You were all so insightful and enlightening. I walked away with a most improved knowledge of GIS and a feeling of real community and support. I hope that we will continue to stay in touch throughout the years to come. Thank you again for the pleasure of your company and camaraderie."
Noelle Brigman, Environmental Compliance Officer, City of New Iberia (LA) Wastewater Department
Start making plans now to attend URISA's 47th Annual Conference in
Anaheim - September 29-October 2, 2009.
The Call for Presentations will be announced soon!
2008 URISA Annual Conference Highlights
URISA's 46th Annual Conference & Exposition began on October 7 with twelve well-attended pre-conference workshops. Veteran and first-time attendees took advantage of a great evening out exploring New Orleans after a long day of education.
On Wednesday morning, Susan Johnson (URISA President) and Mike Lovett (Conference Chair) welcomed conference attendees and then David Gisclair provided a stimulating and well-received keynote address.
Susan Johnson welcomes attendees
Breakout sessions filled the rest of the day, with a break for the Roundtable Topic Luncheon. Attendees chose which of forty topics were of most interest to them and joined their peers for some good discussion. The day closed with the Networking Reception in the Exhibit Hall.
Thank you to all of the exhibitors who included URISA in their conference schedule this year. With the depressed economy, we truly appreciate your support!
Local URISA member, Kathrine Cargo, posted daily music events for attendees to review and a great list of restaurants was included as well. Every morning of the conference, we heard about the great meals and outstanding music from the night before!
On Thursday, we began the day with something new, an Awards Breakfast, to fully recognize all of the deserving recipients of URISA Awards this year.
GIS Chat
More GIS Chat
ESIG Awards
Dr. Gary Hunter reviewed the URISA Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) Awards program and recognized both the winners and those receiving "Distinguished Systems" awards.
Dr. Gary Hunter speaks of the fine ESIG submissions this year
Be sure to read through the winning system submissions. We were thrilled to have many of the ESIG participants on the program this year, to share their accomplishments with the attendees of their sessions.
Tim Oliver, from Horry County (SC) received the ESIG Award in the Enterprise System category
Rogelio Matta from the City of Fontana (CA) received the ESIG Award for Single Process System
Kurt Lebo and Jeff Siegel received the Distinguished System Award within the Enterprise category for the Illinois Virtual Tollway.
Gary Hunter presented Darius Kwiedorowicz and Dr. Barbara Cochran from the US Army Chemical Materials Agency with their Distinguished System Award for WebPuff Automated Emergency Management Decision Support System.
Lim Ming Khai of the Singapore Land Authority was unable to attend the conference but sent a photo of himself with his award.
William Keever from the City of Aurora (CO) was awarded a Distinguished System Award in the Single Process category.
Student Paper Competition
Ernest Sinohui, Publications Committee Co-Chair, had the pleasure of recognizing two of the three prize winners in this year's Student Paper Competition.
Ernest Sinohui
Arjen Koekoek and U Wa Tang were also both presenters on the conference program. Their submissions are posted online for your review.
Arjen Koekoek receives his award
U Wa Tang receives his recognition
Susan Johnson then had the honor of presenting numerous URISA awards to some outstanding URISA members.
Peirce Eichelberger was the recipient of URISA's highest honor, the Horwood Distinguished Service Award. Peirce has a long history of meaningful and lasting contributions to URISA and we appreciate him every day!
Peirce with his Horwood Distinguished Service Award
Ken Dueker could not attend the conference, but he and Cindy Domenico were the recipients of 2008 URISA Leadership Awards. Both URISA Past Presidents (as is Peirce), Ken and Cindy have demonstrated exemplary leadership to URISA, creativity, innovation and dedicated support of URISA programs.
Susan Johnson and Cindy Domenico
The URISA Service Award was presented to Dave Hawker and Bruce Joffe, both of whom have demonstrated faithful service to URISA and participation in its programs over a period of several years. 
Dave Hawker and Susan Johnson
Bruce Joffe...our left wing commander!
Jochen Albrecht, Editor of the URISA Journal among other accomplishments, was presented with the Barbara Hirsch Special Service Award. The entire committee that developed the successful URISA Leadership Academy was also recognized with the Special Service Award this year.
Congratulations Jochen!
URISA Leadership Academy, from left: Greg Babinski, Claudia Pauskauskas, Carl Anderson, Clare Brown, Rebecca Somers, Bruce Joffe, Martha Lombard, Dianne Haley, Kim McDonough, Shoreh Elhami, (ESIG winner Darius K.), Mike Lovett
Carolina URISA received recognition as the Outstanding URISA Chapter for 2008 for its Innovation, Outreach, Education and Community Impact.
Anne Payne accepts the award on behalf of Carolina URISA...appropriate as she was one of the founding members.
GISCorps Recognition
Finally, Mark Salling, Chair of the URISA GISCorps Core Committee, presented three GISCorps volunteers with certificates of recognition for their accomplishments over the past 12 months. Tom Ponte, Heather Milton and David Allen were recognized by the conference. Visit www.giscorps.org for details about current and past projects.
Mark Salling talks about GISCorps' accomplishments
Tom Ponte is recognized.
Heather Milton, who has volunteered on numerous GISCorps missions, is recognized.
David Allen accepts congratulations.
A full day of breakout sessions followed the Awards Breakfast and the day ended with the conference social event at Pat O's on the River. Attendees were treated to ample food and drink and fine New Orleans Jazz in a very relaxed and festive atmosphere!
Friday began with more breakout sessions and closed with a plenary session on "Grass Roots GIS in the Recovery of New Orleans", a fine panel of individuals who have been involved with neighborhood groups who use GIS to make spatial sense of the recovery after Hurricane Katrina. It was informative and eye-opening and brought more attention to the power of Public Participation GIS (PPGIS).
URISA's Annual Business Meeting followed the session with a Secretary and Treasurer's Report and recognition of outgoing URISA Board members (Ed Wells, Cy Smith, Zhong-Ren Peng, and Ingrid Bruce). Susan Johnson handed over the presidential gavel to Hilary Perkins who began her term as URISA President at that time. Incoming Board members Clare Brown, Karen Stewart, Mike Lovett, and Kathrine Cargo (President-Elect) were also welcomed as new members of the URISA Board of Directors.
Charity Event
Those who made plans to stay in town for the charity event on Friday afternoon were very pleased with their decision. URISA attendees (and spouses and friends) hopped on a bus to the Lakeview neighborhood and started working to clear out overgrowth at an abandoned house and clear out a trash-filled and overgrown lot in the area. It was a hot afternoon, but all who participated felt energized following a job well done for New Orleans. (We also appreciated the post-work cold beverages and snacks provided by Pictometry!)
Cleaning up in Lakeview!
Start making your plans to attend next year's conference in Anaheim, California! The conference will take place at the Anaheim Marriott, September 29-October 2, 2009.
Thanks to all of the attendees, the conference committee, URISA leadership, conference speakers, exhibitors and sponsors for a great event!
"That was a good conference. I am always impressed with URISA and the network of professionals in the association."
See you next year!
