EIGS Insight
MBA’s Top 10 Christmas Wish List
Contributor: Tim Brogdon
While reflecting on the time of year and the newly formed Magnolia Business Alliance (MBA), I began to ask myself. “If I had ten Christmas wishes for MBA, what would they be?” I started out thinking more specifically about how MBA is the result of an idea that was discussed among Craig Harvey, Scott Dow and me over the last several years. In simplest terms, our desire is to help small and medium sized businesses in the region. While there are many nuances, this formed the core of the desire. Several things came together that gave us the opportunity to put our money where our mouth was, so we started MBA as a Non–Profit to benefit all small businesses in the region. We all choose to live and work here because we know that this is an excellent place to be. With the economy in turmoil, the loss of stable funding for the Enterprise for Geospatial Solutions (EIGS) Cluster, and changes in our personal businesses, we decided to step up and do it. Our first act was to take over the administration of the EIGS Cluster. Then, before the ink was dry on our charter, we submitted a proposal and won an SBA award to develop and manage clusters in the region. This gave us the kick-start that we needed and now that we have the contract management in place, we are back to working on the membership side of the MBA activities.
With that as background, here are the top 10 items on my Christmas Wish List for MBA:
- Identify an exceptional group of core leaders as MBA members before the end of the year;
- A strong relationship with all small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in the region that results in MBA members working directly and collaborating with one another for everyone’s benefit;
- Identify and implement new benefits that result in a competitive advantage for MBA members;
- A “Buy Local First” attitude from everyone (companies, agencies, local development groups, Government …);
- Open discussion with MBA members regarding needs and desires for MBA/SME’s with actionable items for evaluation and implementation;
- A sharing of corporate knowledge to benefit all MBA members without giving up competitive advantage to direct competitors (Enhance business expertise, experience and quality of all);
- Highly successful accomplishment of the SBA Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) contract;
- Success for all MBA member companies to the point where not only our children will have great good paying jobs, but we’ll have to import additional talent from outside the region;
- Clustering of MBA member companies support to identify and obtain new work scope;
- A very Merry Christmas to all small and medium size businesses in our region and wishes for an extremely happy and prosperous new year!
Company Spotlight
Q & A with Michael Baker, Jr. Inc.
EIGS recently visited with Robert (Bob) J. Hanson, Senior Vice President and leader of the of Michael Baker, Jr., Inc. (Baker) Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) group to discuss its business, core capabilities, and a recent award the firm received for excellence in the Geospatial field. Baker is an active member of the EIGS geospatial technology cluster of the Magnolia Business Alliance (MBA).
The Sensor: Bob, tell our readers about yourself and Baker as a company.
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Washington Perspective
Commentary From: Michael Liu, Sr. Vice President, Dutko Worldwide
While the lame–duck Congress and the White House make headlines on near term tax policy, Beltway watchers are still waiting to see the dust clear on key Committee and Subcommittee Chairs in the new House. None is being watched more closely than that for the top job on the Appropriations Committee. Congressmen Lewis (CA–41), Rogers (KY–5), and Kingston (GA–1) are waging an all out battle to take this coveted spot. Interesting is that all are talking about changing the process to provide greater transparency and relying more on objective criteria in making decisions. The issue for Speaker–designate Boehner and the rest of the House Republicans is considering who will most likely stick to his guns once installed as Appropriations Chairman. For entities that utilize and count on federal programs in their business plans, the selection of an appropriations Chair who will forcefully support the ban on earmarks will require approaches to working with Congress which rely more than ever before on data; track record of success and performance; messaging; and putting together of coalitions of related interests.
Behind a determined House Appropriations Chair and tacit support from the White House, it is difficult to see how the Senate will be able to withstand the ban on earmarks. What member of the Senate will be willing to push the Congress into gridlock in the name of “earmarks”? No matter how principled an argument can be made for the practice of earmarks, if a majority of members no longer sign on to take part, the current practice will wither away.
That is why Dutko Worldwide is advising the clients it represents on federal policy and program issues to aggressively plan NOW for the next Congress and not wait UNTIL 2011. We are spending much of our time putting together advocacy plans, “branding” initiatives, and retooled messages for those who don’t want be left behind when the new Congress convenes in January. We are working with clients to ensure that they truly understand the rationale behind the programs they plan to work with so that they can better justify their offering to the federal government. We are also helping clients to discover federal programs that they may not have accessed due to reliance on earmarks in the past. For example, within the past six months we have assisted a client (located in the South) in identifying and applying for a $740,000 federal ten year zero–interest loan program which few know about and understand.
In this environment we are also encouraging businesses that heretofore have not done so, to explore possible relationships with states and local governments as potential markets for services and products. Even in tough economic times, and perhaps because of them, state and local governments need to find better and more cost effective ways of doing things. Furthermore, there are many instances where the states are for all intents and purposes the channels by which federal monies are spent. (More on this in the future …)
In short, unlike the aftermath of other elections, Washington has changed; and those who are being proactive in recognition of this new reality will be at the front of the pack.
Image of the Month
Satellite Images Suggest Busy Shopping Season
According to imagery used to track shopping trends on Black Friday, retailers have been expecting a busy shopping season. Credit: Digital Globe, Reuters
Items of Interest
GIS Changes Management of Forests
Telegraph–Journal
“It's been a complete game-changer that's really allowed us to be more efficient and optimize and reduce the cost of forest management.”…
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the full article]
Predictions Show a More Active 2011 Hurricane Season
The predictions for the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season show more activity than this year, according to a Government Information Service (GIS) press release issued on Friday.
According to a GIS release, Scientists predict the season could expect to see about nine hurricanes, one more than last year; 17 named storms, two up from last year; 85 named storm days, ten more than last season; 40 hurricane days, five more than last year; five intense hurricanes, one up from last year and ten intense hurricane days, same as last year.
[Read
the full article]
GIS Field Growing in Popularity
The Almagest
LSUS recently had an informational table in the University Center on Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS is an Esri–based computer program, …
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the full article]
Traffic Light Project Using Esri’s ArcGIS Saves Philadelphia $1 Million per Year
DirectionsMag.com
After observing our success in implementing this project, other city departments are considering similar GIS [geographic information system] projects of …
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the full article]
Reflections on GIS Day From a Mississippi Researcher
GIS Day was great and the kids really enjoyed it. They had a chance to learn more about the globe and places we had visited. They watched the GIS Day video and saw how others celebrated the event. Moreover, they had a chance to use a scientific Global Positioning System (GPS) and learned that a GPS is based on numbers and not icons. The egg hunt really helped them grasp the GPS concepts. My wife and I printed the official GIS Day certificates with each of their names. We plan to open the event to our neighbors and other kids in the area next year.
—James Kelley, Researcher
(Photo: Christopher, David, and Joshua Kelley use a GPS unit to find eggs as part of GIS Day activities)
Doing Business in Mississippi
Webinar to Help Mississippi Businesses Increase Sales and Gain Access to Central American Markets
Featured Speakers: Whit Hughes, Deputy Director, Mississippi Development Authority; Rose Boxx, Senior International Trade Specialist for Latin America, Mississippi Development Authority
Topic: Doing Business in Central America
Event date: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 – 10:00 a.m. Central Time
Event time: Approximately 50 minutes
For Mississippi businesses interested in learning how to increase sales and gain access to Central American markets in a targeted and efficient manner, the International Trade Office of the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) will be hosting a free Webinar entitled “Doing Business in Central America” on Tuesday, January 11, 2011, at 10 a.m.
Over the past year, Mississippi companies exported $728 million in goods and services to Central America – a 27 percent increase from the previous year. In fact, Central America is rapidly becoming one of the top markets for U.S. businesses engaged in international trade, particularly since the passage of the United State – Dominican Republic – Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which is now in place throughout the region.
During the event, Rose Boxx, MDA senior international trade specialist for Latin America and the Caribbean, will provide an overview of the business opportunities that exist in the region and will share information and ideas to help position participants to take advantage of those opportunities. Participating companies will:
Learn about best market prospects within Central America; receive regional market overviews; get information on upcoming trade events and activities. For additional information, please contact Rose Boxx at rboxx@mississippi.org, or call 601.359.3155.
EIGS in the News
NVision’s Joel Herr among First in the World to Achieve New Esri Certification
DirectionsMag.com
NVision Solutions, Inc., is proud to announce GIS Manager, Joel Herr, has recently been awarded the new Esri Technical Certification, which recognizes …
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the full article]
NVision Solutions NVTouch to Make America’s Sports Venues Safer
GISuser
NVision Solutions Inc. is pleased to announce the deployment of its NVTouch Surface Computer to the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) for the training of sports security professionals.
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the full article]
Global Perspectives
India to Launch Advanced Communication Satellite
Economic Times
Remote sensing satellites send back pictures and other data for use. India is a major player in vending such data in the global market. …
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MOU between ISPRS and AARSE and EIS–Africa
DirectionsMag.com (press release)
London, UK, November 18th 2010–– the biennial conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) Memoranda of Understanding …
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the full article]
Geospatial World Forum 2011 In Hyderabad, India
UN–SPIDER
Geospatial science has carved a niche for itself within not only the technology circle and decision makers, but with a number of new user segments as well. …
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the full article]
