minnesota gis/lis consortium · andrew kurth - itasca community college, community college...

1 The MN GIS/LIS Consortium is an official 501c3 non-profit organization. http://www.mngislis.org

Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium

Annual Report 2015

Mission Statement: "To develop and support the GIS professional in Minnesota for the benefit of our state and its citizens."

The Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium is a forum for communicating information to, and improving cooperation among, those interested in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Land Information Systems (LIS) in the State of Minnesota. Members include GIS users in local, state, federal and tribal government agencies; business and industry; educational institutions and nonprofits. Membership is FREE just by being on our mailing list.

The Consortium hosts annual statewide conferences, and establishes committees that deal with specific GIS/LIS-related matters in Minnesota. Opportunities to participate in Consortium activities are available through volunteer work with the board, its committees, the conference and workshops. The Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium is an official 501c3 non-profit organization.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact myself or any other Board Member

http://www.mngislis.org/

http://www.mngislis.org/?page=current_board


Message from the Board Chair

From Heather Bergen-Albrecht, 2015 Board Chair The 25th Anniversary of our Annual MN GIS/LIS Consortium Conference gave me an

opportunity to reflect on the mission of the organization, its history and inception,

and how it has progressed. The Consortium started as a forum for round-table

geospatial industry discussions and to distribute GIS news through a quarterly

newsletter. In 1990 the first GIS Conference was held in St. Paul. Fast forward to today, the Consortium

is a mainstay for the GIS professional that has changed the GIS profession from an industry into a

community.

My personal experience with the Consortium began as a young professional, new to the industry,

encouraged by my supervisor to get involved through the Conference Planning Committee. I had never

even been to the Conference, or any conference for that matter. I joined the Committee anyway. By

the next Conference, I was chairing the Workshops Subcommittee. I have been more and more engaged

with the Consortium each year, leading to my tenure as Board Chair.

I encourage each of you to get involved as well. Volunteers for the MN GIS/LIS Consortium have an

opportunity to be a leader in the GIS community. Leadership opportunities include:

- Planning the annual conference: the themes, the speakers, and the events.

- Determining the types of technical workshops needed to inspire the use of emerging GIS

technology.

- Teaching teachers how to integrate GIS into their curriculum, fostering the next generation of GIS

professionals.

- Assist college students and young professionals in developing their careers though scholarships,

resume reviews and mentoring.

- Serve on the Board of Directors to guide the organization in fulfilling the mission to develop and

support the GIS professional in Minnesota for the benefit of our state and its citizens.

For my efforts as a volunteer, I have gained lasting friendships, professional mentors, and peer-to-peer

technical support and advice. The experience has enriched my career and my life as a whole.

I am proud to have served on the Board of Directors with a group of GIS professionals that are

continuously developing new opportunities through the Consortium to advance our profession. I’d like

to thank the 2015 MN GIS/LIS Board of Directors, volunteers, contributors and our 800 members. I’d

also like to thank the originators of the Consortium.

Past Lifetime Achievement Award Winners Past Polaris Award Winners



Thank you to our Contributors

Conference Exhibitors

Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc.

Ayres Associates

CAD Technology Center

Cartegraph

CES Imaging

Compass Tools, Inc.

Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI)

Flat Rock Geographic

Frontier Precision, Inc.

HERE

Hexagon Geospatial

Houston Engineering, Inc.

Latitude Geographics Group, Ltd.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Moore Engineering, Inc.

North Point Geographic Solutions

Panda Consulting

Pictometry International

Pro-West and Associates, Inc.

Quantum Spatial

Shared Geo

Surdex

The Sidewall Company

University of Minnesota, Duluth

Wisconsin Land Information Association

WSB & Associates, Inc.

Conference Sponsors

Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc.

Barr Engineering

Bolton & Menk, Inc.

ddms, Inc.


Merjent, Inc.

Minnesota Geospatial Information Office

Moor Engineering, Inc.


Pictometry International

Pro-West & Associates, Inc.

Shared Geo

U-Spatial, University of MN

WSB & Associates, Inc.

Networking Event Sponsors

Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI)

Flat Rock Geographic



Pro-West & Associates, Inc.

Shared Geo

Higher Education Workshop Hosts

Minnesota State University Mankato

Minnesota State University Moorhead

University of Minnesota Duluth

University of Minnesota

Winona State University

Distinct Sponsorship

Ddms, Inc. provides Project Portal at no cost to the Consortium for

our online document management. This tool is an exceptional

benefit to our everyday business.

Municipal, County, and State Government

A large percentage of the attendees and active participants at our annual conference, spring and fall workshops and other Consortium sponsored events are employees of local government throughout the state. Equally as many are state government employees.

Federal Agencies

Federal agencies step up every year to involve their staffs in Consortium events and initiatives.

Donated Honoraria

Every year many of our instructors generously decline honoraria,

requesting instead that these funds be directed to our scholarship

and education fund.

Education Volunteers

Thank you to all who have donated their time to participate in our

education program as a scholarship judge, Young Professional’s

Conference Mentor, Geo-Mentor or K-12 workshop instructor.

Other participation

All organizations that have graciously allowed their employees to

donate time to present, moderate, plan, and attend our annual

conference and other events.



Consortium Events 2015

The Consortium held several events in 2015. These events support our mission to advance education

and communication among GIS professionals to the benefit of our state.

Spring Workshops 158 Attendees 10 Workshops Remote Locations – Duluth, Mankato, Moorhead & Winona

25th Annual Conference – “Charting Our Future”

614 Attendees 86 Total Presentations 27 Exhibitors 17 Workshops 198 Workshop Attendees 20 Posters

16 Mentor/Mentee pairs participated in the Young Professionals Conference Mentorship Program. With the commitment of our contributors the Consortium was able to sponsor 4 students to attend the 2015 Conference through the Student Assistant Program. 7 resumes were reviewed by GIS professionals and presenters of the Finding, Applying and Interviewing for GIS Jobs panel discussion.

K-12 Educator GIS Workshops 5 Half-Day Summer Workshops 3 Two-Day Workshops Educator Day at Annual Conference

60 Attendees 48 Attendees 55 Attendees

Networking Events

Geospatial Industry Curling Competition at Frogtown Curling Club Spring Workshop Networking Event at Town Hall Brewery

Fall Conference Networking Event at Grandma’s Saloon & Grill GIS Day Networking Event at Surly Brewing Co.

Funds raised for our Scholarship and Education Fund:

Donated Honoraria - $4,100 (spring and fall workshops) Merchandise Sales - $1,800

Networking events and other activities - $1,210

Duluth Minnesota, Home of the 25th Annual MN GIS/LIS Consortium Conference



Award Recipients 2015

Governor’s Geospatial Commendation Award – Recognition for activities that exemplify a commitment to coordinated, affordable, reliable, and effective use of GIS to improve services within Minnesota.

Polaris Awards – Recognition of active, established leaders in the geospatial community.

Student Scholarship Participants The following students were selected by their school for recognition as MN GIS/LIS Student Scholars.

Kyle Mullen - Minnesota State University, Mankato – Graduate Competition, 1st Place $1,000 Jennifer Reinke - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - Graduate Competition, $200 Brie Anderson - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota - Graduate Competition, 2nd Place $500 Jacqueline Brockman - Bemidji State University - Undergraduate Competition, $200 Claire Hofius - Macalester College - Undergraduate Competition, 2nd Place $400 Tylor Schwarz - Minnesota State University, Mankato - Undergraduate Competition, $200 Joseph Krenzelok - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - Undergraduate Competition, 1st Place $800 Adam J. Barthel - St. Cloud State University - Undergraduate Competition, $200 Caitlin Woodard - University of St. Thomas - Undergraduate Competition, $200 Evan Wagner - University of Minnesota, Duluth - Undergraduate Competition, $200 David Brown - Gustavus Adolphus College - Undergraduate Competition, $200 Gary George and Chitrasen Parbhunath - Minnesota State University, Moorhead Joe Johnson - Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Community College Competition, $200 Andrew Kurth - Itasca Community College, Community College Competition, 1st Place $500

2015 Student Scholarship Winners

The MN GIS/LIS Consortium accepted the Governor’s

Geospatial Commendation Award. The Consortium was

recognized for 25 years of dedication to its mission to develop

and support the GIS professional in Minnesota for the benefit

of our state and its citizens.

David Fawcett – MN.IT@MPCA,

with presenter Hal Watson

Matt Koukol - with presenter

Chad Martini

Sonia Dickerson –

MN.IT@MNDNR with

presenter Catherine Hansen



Consortium Highlights 2015

25th Anniversary of our Annual Conference “Charting our Future” - The 25th anniversary of our regional conference took place in Duluth, October 7-9, 2015.

The conference had a record breaking 614 attendees, 55 of which were teachers and 130 students. The featured keynote speaker was ESRI co-founder Jack Dangermond.

Governor’s Geospatial Commendation Award - The Certificate of Commendation from the Governor recognizes activities that exemplify a

commitment to coordinated, affordable, reliable, and effective use of GIS to improve services within Minnesota. The award honors organizations that have gone the extra mile to deliver products and services, improve government responsiveness, promote public access to information, and demonstrate the benefits of collaboration that encourage, by example, others to do the same.

- The MN GIS/LIS Consortium was recognized for 25 years of dedication to its mission to develop and support the GIS professional in Minnesota for the benefit of our state and its citizens. The award honors the efforts of the hundreds of volunteers that have made the Consortium successful as well as all who have realized the great value of the Consortium’s mission.

Qualification of two additional higher education GIS programs to compete in our scholarship competition - Qualifications are defined by offering a GIS degree (major or minor) or by offering a

minimum of 12 GIS-related credits. Congratulations to Minnesota State University Moorhead and South Central College for expanding their course offerings in GIS!

Strengthened our relationship with the MN Department of Education - Addition of Educator Day to our conference. The event was a full day of workshops and

conference activities aimed to support K-12 educators as they integrate GIS into their curriculum. Events included guest speaker Charlie Fitzpatrick, ESRI K-12 Education Manager, and a networking event aimed at developing GIS professional/ K-12 educator relationships.

- Thanks to our contributors we were able to sponsor 45 teacher’s attendance to Educator Day by providing a grant to assist with the expense of a substitute teacher.

- Continuation of half-day and two-day GIS workshops for K-12 educators offered all throughout Minnesota.

- Development of a Geo-Mentorship program to pair educators with GIS professionals in their area for ongoing GIS support.

The Consortium joined with several partners to plan a regional GIS event UMGEONN 2016 - American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing – Western Great Lakes Region,

Geospatial Information & Technology Association, Iowa Geographic Information Council, MN GIS/LIS Consortium, Shared Geo and Wisconsin Land Information System put forth volunteers and resources to plan a regional GIS conference focused on peer learning and cross-border collaboration. The Conference UMGEOCONN is set to take place May 25-26, 2016 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.



Financials 2015

Profit / Loss 2014 2015 Conference Income $147,405 $184,568 Spring Workshops Income $10,094 $18,894 Scholarship Income Networking Events Income General Operating Income

$0 $1,581

$10,530

$5,900 $1,210 $7,640

Total Income $169,610 $218,212 Conference Expenses $115,248 $143,006 Spring Workshop Expenses Scholarship Expenses Networking Events Expenses

$5,258 $0

$1,094

$7,758

$1,552 $1,296

General Operations Expenses $31,859 $33,012

Total Expenses $153,460 $186,623

Balance Sheet Net Amount – General Fund $53,630 $75, 527 Reserve Fund $35,151 $35,189 Scholarship Fund $44,085 *$20,515

Education Investment Fund $31,483 DESCRIPTIONS:

Conference Income – Workshop and Fall Conference registration fees, exhibitor fees, and interest from General Operations account.

Spring Workshop Income – Workshop registration fees.

Scholarship Income – Donations, fundraising and interest.

Networking Events Income –Networking events fundraising.

Annual Conference Expenses – Including but not limited to event space rental, food & beverages, audio/visual fees, printing and honorariums for workshop instructors.

Spring Workshop Expenses – Including but not limited to event space rental, food & beverages, printing and honorariums for workshop instructors.

General Operating Expenses – Expenses for the general operations of the Consortium including but not limited to professional management fees, website maintenance fees, student scholarships, printing and event grants.

Net Amount – General Fund – Operational account balance as of December 31st, 2015.

Reserve Fund – A fund to protect the solvency of the Consortium in the event that Annual Conference revenue cannot offset expenses.

Scholarship and Education Fund – Monies that are used for K-12 and higher educational opportunities throughout

the year, including the fall conference student scholarship competition.

Education Investment Fund - Long term investment of education and scholarship monies.

*The loss in Scholarship Funds from 2014 to 2015 is attributed to the funds being split between the Scholarship

Fund and the Education Investment Fund in 2015.

Detailed accounting documentation is available upon request. Contact any Board Member for more information.



Volunteer Opportunities

About the MN GIS/LIS Board of Directors and Consortium Committees Board positions are elected by the membership. We encourage you to run for a seat that matches your experience and current association. In addition, there are many opportunities for you to contribute your skills, time, and enthusiasm to make a difference, without having to run for office. Several committees need your help. We’re sure you will enjoy working with such an interesting group of people who are dedicated to providing the best possible educational and networking opportunities to our membership of GIS professionals. The MN GIS/LIS Consortium is run solely by volunteers, and all members are invited to participate. Here’s how to get involved: Conference Committees Help to plan and execute a fun, educational and successful fall conference. Opportunities include planning entertainment events, selecting speakers, coordinating facility set up, and assisting onsite. Database/Web Committee Assist with design and management of the Consortium database and website. Education Committee Work to foster relationships between the consortium and educational institutions to support GIS in K-12 and higher education. Become a Geo-Mentor to help a teacher or youth club leader build capacity to help kids use GIS. Volunteer to teach a K-12 educator workshop. Communication and Outreach Committee Promote the GIS/LIS Consortium, its mission and events through social media and our blog. Networking Event Planning Committee Organize networking events as educational and/or fundraising activities for GIS professionals. Spring Workshops Committee Plan, prepare, and assist with technical spring workshops for GIS professionals. Awards Committee Select recipient of Polaris and Lifetime Achievement Awards. You must be a past award winner to sit on this committee. Please feel free to contact us at any time at [email protected].


mailto:[email protected]


Board of Directors 2015

Chair Heather Albrecht City of Maple Grove

Chair-Elect Tami Maddio City of Eagan

Treasurer Brian Udell Xcel Energy

Secretary Catherine Hansen Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Conference Chair

Gerry Sjerven ALLETE, Inc

Conference Chair-Elect Ryan Stovern St. Louis County

Private Sector Brandon Tourtelotte Pictometry

State Government

Zeb Thomas Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

At-Large

Scott Freburg Minnesota Department of Education

Higher Education

Greta Poser Saint Mary’s University

Local Government

Michelle Trager Rice County

Past Chair (Ex-Officio) Adam Snegosky Washington County

MnGeo (Ex-Officio) Dan Ross Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo)

MnGeo Statewide Geospatial Advisory Council (Ex-Officio) Gerry Sjerven Allete Inc.

Past Conference Chair (Ex-Officio) Kitty Hurley Minnesota Department of Health



Association Management and Event Management Ewald Consulting Eric Ewald, Vice President of Association Management Kathie Pugaczewski, Vice President of Communications & Technology Amanda Ewald, Vice President of Finance & Client Accounting Ashley Crunstedt, Account Executive Janey Duntley, Communications Specialist Michele Wolfel, Account Executive Assistant Bridget Fox, Meeting & Event Coordinator


minnesota gis/lis consortium · andrew kurth - itasca community college, community college...

Documents