2009 GIS Conferences and User Groups

The Schneider Corporation, a full-service professional services firm that provides engineering, technology and consulting solutions, announced its 2009 GIS Conferences and User Groups will be held this year in Ames, Iowa (August 11-12, 2009) and Indianapolis (September 1-2, 2009). A significant number of Midwest counties already are using Schneider GIS products and services, including half of Iowa's counties and 40% of Indiana's counties. Schneider has over 120 local government clients across the Midwest.

The conferences, themed "Harvest More with GIS," will include information on how government organizations can use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to increase revenue, reduce expenses and minimize risk. Attendees will hear real-world examples, such as how a county assessor used GIS to identify untaxed property that generated $3.5 million a year in additional revenue.

"Beacon also will be highlighted at the show as a way to 'Harvest More' revenue," said Jeff Corns, vice president of GIS at The Schneider Corporation. "Beacon™ saves organizations an average of over 25 hours of office and phone traffic time every day; that's the equivalent of three people. Today, when organizations are trying to do more with less, Beacon™ is an especially useful tool."

Other examples of the benefits of Schneider Corporation's GIS products and services include an accurate rendition of an Indiana county and its land records which is used to place land ownership and utility information from thousands of documents including tax roll data, old paper maps, as-builds and deeds. The county contains approximately 60,000 parcels and covers more than 410 square miles. Schneider utilized its Beacon™ interactive public access tool to develop a free online portal for citizens to view their property information and utilize the Citizen Action Center, which allows citizens to pinpoint the location of an item that needs attention from the city. This information is sent directly to the proper department in the city for remediation.

Other conference topics include using GIS for emergency management, how GIS can help simplify the 2010 census, and how to use social media tools to reach constituents.

Information about the 2009 GIS Conference and User Group can be found here.