AGI Awards for Geospatial Excellence Winners announced at Annual Conference

The aim of the AGI Awards is to recognise the very best of the UK Geospatial industry and its professionals during 2016, as well as to celebrate and share new insights and foster creativity and growth within the industry and beyond, providing public recognition of achievements and inspiration for others.

The first of the two categories was The AGI Chairperson’s Award for Outstanding Service to the AGI, which the current Chair, David Henderson awarded to Simon Wheeler, Land and Property Services. As a membership association, the hard work and dedication of the AGI’s members is central to a vibrant geocommunity with purpose. This award recognises someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the work of the AGI, specifically furthering its aims and promoting its work.

Rico Santiago, current Chairman of AGINI said: “It wasn’t just what Simon said that inspired me to get involved in the GI community, it was also what he’s done and continues to do: lead by example. It seemed as though he had his fingers into everything—always initiating conversations, supporting projects, and most importantly, connecting people and ideas. From my perspective, the notion of “6 degrees of separation” did not apply to Simon - it was more like 2 or 3 at most! Connecting people and ideas is a fundamental aspect of the AGI, and Simon has tirelessly promoted that in the years I’ve known him.”

In the second category, The AGI Award for Career Achievement in GI, is awarded to someone whom the AGI seeks to recognise as a “legendary” contributor to the mapping and GI industry throughout their professional career. It was awarded to Jamie Justham , founder of Dotted Eyes. It’s a prestigious award, respected internationally, as the person receiving it has made a long-lasting impression on geospatial professionals.

Charlie Gilbert of Dotted Eyes, who nominated Jamie for the Award said, “I first met Jamie when I graduated from Nottingham University. Characteristically he took me on as a summer intern to assess my contribution at first hand, before sponsoring my MSc in GIS and offering some advice on my dissertation. I’ve been able to develop my career with the company ever since and also supported the AGI. Many of our former colleagues, after being trained and mentored by Jamie, have now gone on to take up management positions elsewhere in the industry.”

For further background information about the two winners, please go to: http://www.agi.org.uk/news/agi/1006-agi-award-winners-for-2016-announced-at-geocom16-23rd-november-2016