From The President: GITA Is Your Opportunity To Give Back

From The President: GITA Is Your Opportunity To Give Back

By Drew Fioranelli

Recently, I was asked “how does someone from the Mississippi Delta become president of GITA?” Mostly the question was asked out of curiosity, but this person was really looking to try and make the connection between GITA and Mississippi as there really isn’t a blunt one. My response is very simple.... “GITA is an opportunity for me to give back to a community that has provided me so much over the years.”

While in college at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, one of my instructors happened to sit on the board of directors and would go on to become the GITA president. Talbot Brooks was fantastic at making sure students were engaged and plugged in with GITA and all of the opportunities a professional organization can provide. As a student, I was given the opportunity to travel across the country to attend conferences, to volunteer and to meet some the industry leaders. Through these connections, I would eventually land a summer gig working in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for a summer before my senior year.

Growing up in a small town, though you’re told you can be anything you want to be and do anything you want to do, I’m not sure you ever really think that is a possibility, because those words are not reinforced with action. Everyone that was around while you’re growing up is still there. I get why we are told at a young age we can be anything we want to be. It’s encouragement that's supposed to help you strive to be greater. 

I did not realize I could be greater or that I could be a part of something bigger until I spent a good bit of time reflection on everywhere GIS had taken me during my young career and it was this self realization that lead me to jump at the opportunity to join GITA’s board when the opportunity arose. For years GITA and GIS had provided me opportunity I’d never dreamed possible as a young child. I had traveled to states I only saw on maps and worked in a country to which I had never considered traveling.

Joining GITA as a member, then as a director and now as president is my way of giving back to the industry that has given me so much. This is my opportunity be part of something that is bigger than me and to have the ability to impact my community in a way only belonging to an organization can. That is the true value of belonging to a professional organization. Not only am I able to connect with some of the most giving people in our community, but together we are able to help shape the community for those that are to follow.

So, if your New Year's resolution is to have an impact on the geospatial community, I want to strongly encourage you to consider joining GITA. Joining GITA is a great way to give back, to shape the community and to mentor tomorrow's professionals, I promise, there is a student or young professional that is going to think you’re a superstar and look up to you for years to come.

2019 GITA Is On Stronger, More Stable Footing

2019 GITA Is On Stronger, More Stable Footing

Dear members and colleagues:

As I close out my fourth (and final) year of leading GITA, I wanted to drop you a note expressing my gratitude for your support of GITA and its mission.

2018 has been extremely challenging for the the association, but I believe that as we roll into 2019 GITA is on a stronger and more stable footing than it has been in years.

Notable achievements for 2018 include;

  • Returned to Phoenix for the first time in many years by hosting a GITA event in conjunction with the Common Ground Alliance’s Excavation Safety Conference & Expo  Currently we are making plans to collaborate on the 2019 Tampa event!
  • The 6th Annual EnerGIS Conference was held in suburban Pittsburgh focusing on geospatial issues within the energy industry.
  • GITA contracted with Gulf Energy Information to produce the 27th edition of the GITA Oil Gas & Pipeline Conference, the conference would be rebranded the “Pipeline Technology Forum”
  • The board of directors contracted with Civica Associations Conferences & Exhibitions to manage the association, replacing SharedGeo of St. Paul Minnesota.
  • GITA assisted in producing the second edition of UMGEOCON; focusing on geospatial issues of concern to the Upper Midwest geospatial community.
  • The Pipeline Technology Forum, held in Houston in October, was a great success.  The directors received many thanks for carrying on with the conference in spite of the short lead time.  Many Thanks to Gulf Energy Information for their efforts to keep this conference an ongoing success!
  • Recruited several high quality candidates for an expanded board of directors; we received many great nominations and the ballots are currently in the hands of our membership.  I am looking forward to serving with those elected!  Winning candidates will be announced in the very near future.

With that I’ll close out my last message as president, again it has been honor to serve the association and the geospatial community.  Best wishes to my successor Drew Fioranelli, who I know will bring great passion and enthusiasm to the association.

Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2019!

Regards

Mark E. Limbruner, GISP

 

 

GITA Update!!! - September 2018

Posted By Mark E. Limbruner, Sunday, September 16, 2018

Greetings members & supporters of GITA:

It’s been a summer of changes here at GITA, I wanted to apprise you of significant updates and on goings of the association.

New Manager hired for GITA:

After 6 years of dedicated service SharedGeo of St. Paul, Minnesota has retired as our association manager. Our new manager is Civica Associations Conferences & Exhibitions of Aurora Colorado. GITA and Civica are looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship. We wish to welcome our new administrator Don Knox and his staff to the GITA family!

Our new mailing address:

Geospatial Information & Technology Association
PO Box 3406
Englewood, CO 80155

Our new office location:

Geospatial Information & Technology Association
2851 South Parker Road, Suite 1210
Aurora, CO 80014

Our phone remains the same:

844-GIS-GITA 844-447-4482

New Pipeline Focused Geospatial Conference:

Gulf Energy Information & GITA have teamed up to bring a new pipeline focused geospatial event to Houston. Registration is now open and tickets and hotel reservations are available at: www.pipelinetechnologyforum.com This event will be held in downtown Houston October 16-17. This event will include the 27th annual GITA GIS for Oil & Gas Pipeline Conference. Do not miss this event!

Call for Papers for the GITA Tampa Event Extended:

Are you involved in utility or emergency response management GIS? Consider submitting an abstract for the GITA Tampa Event to be held March 25-26 2019. Learn more about this exciting event here: GITA 2019 Tampa Event The call for papers has been extended to October 9, 2018.

GITA Chapters help to sponsor Go-Geomatics Back to School Socials across Canada:

GITA’s Pacific Northwest and Mid-Atlantic Chapters are helping to sponsor these important outreach events including socials in: Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, Toronto & Vancouver. Learn more about these events at Back to School Socials. I’m looking forward to visiting with the Toronto GIS community at their meet-up on October 20th. Drop in and say hello, you can register for any events here: GoGeomatics Meetups

Questions / Comments?

Thank you for your ongoing support of GITA. If you have any questions or comments, I’d be glad to hear back from you. Contact me at [email protected] or my direct dial number 724-743-6705.

Regards.
Mark

The Pipeline Technology Forum to replace Pipeline Week!

Posted By Mark E. Limbruner, Thursday, June 14, 2018

Greetings to our members and supporters! I am pleased to announce the following:

 The Geospatial Information and Technology Association (GITA) and Gulf Energy Information (Gulf) and its market-leading pipeline media, Pipeline & Gas Journal, have announced an agreement between the two organizations to produce the Pipeline Technology Forum™, including the 27th GITA Oil and Gas Pipeline Conference.

The Pipeline Technology Forum™ will take place October 16 and 17, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Houston. Over 100 exhibitors and over 500 attendees are expected at the 2018 event. The two-day event will include general sessions and two-tracks of technical presentations on the use of geospatial technologies, pipeline software, and other applied technologies for the pipeline industry. GITA will also hold its board and association meetings during the event.

The Pipeline Technology Forum™ will take the place of Pipeline Week™, the name of the former GITA annual event, according to Mark Limbruner, President of GITA.

The GITA board and I are extremely happy to have engaged with Gulf Energy Information to produce our 27th annual pipeline event. Our members and attendees should look forward to a refreshed and exciting conference, Gulf’s ability to co-brand our event with the leading trade journal in the market, Pipeline & Gas Journal, and its data for the pipeline industry, make Gulf an ideal partner for GITA and for a vibrant and growing industry segment. The combination will also significantly increase the educational value of our annual conference.

Please visit the Forum's website at: Pipeline Technology Forum

I am looking forward to seeing you in Houston this October!

Regards,
Mark

GITA Oil & Gas Pipeline Conference!

Posted By Mark E. Limbruner, Wednesday, May 9, 2018

The Show Will Go On!......

Join us in Houston this Autumn for the
27th Annual GITA Oil & Gas Pipeline Conference

This past week, the association received some some surprising news, when we were advised that our conference producer for the past 5 years announced that they had decided to discontinue production of “Pipeline Week” and allowed their contract with GITA to expire.

This came as a shock to the GITA Board of Directors and administration as plans were well underway for our annual event.

2018 marks the 27th annual “GITA Oil and Gas Pipeline Conference”. Our conference has weathered; (pun intended) two hurricanes, and averted a permanent shutdown over 6 years ago.

The loss of a conference producer will not allow this year’s event to be cancelled. The GITA board is diligently working to secure another event producer and plans are continuing for a conference in Houston this autumn.

In the meantime, the Planning Committee is continuing their work of screening and selecting papers, laying out an agenda, recruiting keynote speakers.

I view this as a dynamic opportunity for GITA to refresh an event that has become a long standing appointment on so many of your and our colleagues’ calendars.

The pipeline industry is facing tremendous issues at all levels from gathering, midstream, transmission and distribution. The ideas and solutions discussed and proposed at our annual event are key to overcoming the industry’s regulatory, environmental, and political challenges. The board is determined not to allow this event fall by the wayside!

The board of directors thanks you for your patience regarding this slight delay in our plans. We shall communicate to the membership the revised schedule and venue for the event.

If you should have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] and I will personally address your concerns.

Regards,
Mark