Industry Leaders, Government Officials to Highlight Role of Geospatial Technologies in National Defense, Intelligence and Homeland Security InitiativesGEO-INTEL Annual Conference to Be Held in New Orleans This October NEW ORLEANS and WASHINGTON, July 28, 2003 -- The Spatial Technologies Industry Association (STIA) will host more than 900 public and private sector decision-makers to highlight the role of geospatial technologies in homeland security and in Operation Iraqi Freedom at its annual conference -- GEO-INTEL 2003: Geospatial Intelligence & Information for the Nation -- to be held October 14-17, 2003 at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, LA. This year's conference -- "The Foundation for Security" -- will bring together geospatial industry leaders; private sector executives; and government, intelligence and public safety officials to discuss the industry's contribution to national security, the intelligence community and homeland security. Geospatial technologies are mission critical in the analysis, planning, decision-making, and operations of our Nation's intelligence and defense programs and the U.S. fight against terrorism. "New Orleans is a perfect location for the GEO-INTEL conference. The Port of New Orleans, Louisiana's other transportation infrastructure, our energy resources, and our military command presence make southeast Louisiana a valuable partner in homeland security efforts, and it would serve the nation well as a regional headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security," said Congressman David Vitter. Spatial technologies, which include the Global Positioning System, remote sensing satellites, transmission and imagery ground networks, data developers and supplies, and geographic information systems (GIS) applications that incorporate positioning and imagery data, have become central to all homeland security initiatives and the defense industry. "It only makes sense that the GEO-INTEL conference be held in New Orleans. After all, as a major port, New Orleans is critical to homeland security efforts," said former Congressman Bob Livingston. The conference schedule includes ten keynote addresses from industry leaders; Members of Congress; and Bush Administration officials. Eight panel discussions feature security; military; government; and other geospatial industry issues. The conference includes an exhibit hall of over 60 technologies companies. Among the exhibitors, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) will feature a fully operational command center used to support national security events like the Super Bowl and the Salt Lake City Olympics. Confirmed speakers and panelists include Representative David Vitter (LA-1), New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, The Honorable Robert Livingston, Former Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives; and Lt. General James R. Clapper, Director, National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA). GEO-INTEL 2003 Platinum sponsors are BAE Systems; General Dynamics; Northrop Grumman TASC; ESRI; Oracle; Lockheed Martin; and Raytheon. Gold Sponsors include Boeing; Kodak; Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp.; Autodesk; and Booz Allen Hamilton. For more information on GEO-INTEL 2003, please visit http://www.geointel.org . Founded in 1996, the Spatial Technologies Industry Association (STIA) is a private industry trade association with a membership of more than 60 leading companies providing products and services in one or more sectors of the integrated geospatial industry: geographic information systems (GIS) software, remote sensing and aerial imagery, spatial database software, information technology systems integration, spatial data, geo-information services and mapping, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and location-based services. STIA member companies collectively employ more than 1 million persons and have estimate annual revenue in excess of $300 billion. STIA is a member-driven organization that is governed by a board of directors that presently has sixteen members. STIA is dedicated to increasing the integrated geospatial industry's participation in public policy decision- making, the legislative process, and regulatory actions that directly affect the vitality and success of companies in the U.S. STIA supports sound public policy that advances geo-information government and geo-information commerce based on the use of commercial geospatial products and services which enable better decision-making, greater efficiency, increased accountability, improved management, and superior performance. For more information, visit the STIA website at http://www.spatialtech.org .
Contacts:
Quincy Crawford Mark Romig
crawfordq@peteramayer.com romigm@peteramayer.com
504-210-1285 (o) 504-210-1211 (o)
504-952-9139 (c) 504-908-8300 (c)
SOURCE GEO-INTEL 2003
Web Site: http://www.geointel.org http://www.spatialtech.org
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