GITA Through The YearsEditor's Note: You can contribute your memories by emailing us. Geospatial Information & Technology Association, originally AM/FM International, has evolved. Initially, in the AM/FM days, and the early years of GITA, a strong emphasis was on the research of technology and finding the right technology that would accomplish our membership’s goal of creating efficient mapping departments while providing proper analysis of data. As the geospatial information services industry matured, GITA redirected its focus to one of providing educational services and training opportunities to the broader GIS community. Primarily, educational services are delivered through conferences, both national and regional, and through online services. GITA has since maintained and expanded on that outreach. 1978Founded by Henry A. Emory and sponsored by the Kellogg Corporation consulting firm, the first Automated Mapping/Facilities Management conference was held in 1978 in Keystone, Colorado, attracting 32 attendees. 1981More than 200 attendees participated in the fourth "Keystone" conference. 1982
GITA's predecessor, AM/FM International Inc., is incorporated as a nonprofit association based in Colorado ... 1983Chris Harlow becomes president of AM/FM. 1984John Jacobs becomes president of AM/FM. 1985Ken Griffing becomes AM/FM's president. 1986Bill Folchi is president of AM/FM ... AM/FM conference IX convenes August 12-14 at Snowmass Conference Center, Snowmass, Colorado. 1987Membership in the North American division of AM/FM International reached 1,305 and plans are made to transition the management team from contractors and volunteers to full-time staff ... Don Felsinger is AM/FM's president. 1988During the 1988 conference in Snowmass, Colorado, Robert Samborski was hired as the association's executive director ... Larry Engelken is president of AM/FM. 1989John Bossler is AM/FM's president. ... AM/FM Conference XII convenes April 10-13 at the Marriott Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana. 1990Larry Stover is AM/FM's president. 1991Joyce Rector becomes AM/FM's president. 1992ESRI's Jack Dangermond presents on "Client/Server Approach to GIS Interfaces" at the AM/FM International Conference XV, held April 27-30, in San Antonio ... Joyce Rector continues as AM/FM's president ... The multi-association GIS/LIS Conference is Nov. 10-12 at San Jose, California 1993David Baraniak is AM/FM's president. 1994Hardy Meihsner is AM/FM's president. 1995The AM/FM International Conference XVIII is March 20-23 at Stouffer Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore. ... John Antenucci is AM/FM's president. 1996The AM/FM International Conference XIX is March 24-27 at the Washington State Convention Center, Seattle ... Joseph Stefanini is AM/FM's president. 1997Focus group sessions at the 1997 annual conference in Nashville culminated in a complete identity makeover for the association— a new name, logo, and focus ... Frank Castleberry is AM/FM's president ... The multi-association GIS/LIS '97 Annual Conference and Exposition is October 28-30 at the Cincinnati Convention Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 1998
AM/FM is now GITA: At this year's Annual Conference in San Jose, President John Middlestead introduced the association’s new logo that unfurled from the ceiling, cheerleaders from San Jose State University led the opening session crowd in a customized version of the “YMCA” song: “AM/FM is now G-I-T-A!” AM/FM rebrands as Geospatial Information & Technology Association, also known as GITA. 1999The 22nd Annual GITA Conference is April 25-28 in Charlotte, NC. ... Bill Nantell is GITA's president. 2000GITA's membership grows to 2,200 individuals, 140 user affiliates and 150 vendor companies ... GITA's 2000 Annual Conference attracted more than 3,800 professionals who participated in nearly 100 educational sessions ... ExecuNet 2000 is Aug. 13-15 at the Hyatt Regency Beaver Creek ... The 2000 GIS for Oil & Gas Conference is Sept. 18-20 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Houston ... Dan Bowditch is GITA's president. 2001GITA Annual Conference XXIV is March 4-7 at the San Diego Convention Center ... Tom Coolidge is GITA's president. 2002GITA Annual Conference XXV is March 17-20 at the Tampa Convention Center ... Dave DiSera is GITA's president. 2003GITA Annual Conference XXVI is March 23-26 at the Kansas City, Mo., Convention Center. ... Karen Levy is GITA's president. 2004Stewart Asbury is GITA's president ... Geospatial World covers the announcement of the 2004 GITA board. 2005Pete Gomez is GITA's president. 2006Susan Ancel is GITA's president. 2007The 2007 GIS for Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition is Sept. 24-26 at the Marriott Westchase Hotel, Houston ... A GITA student chapter was established in Pune, India ... Kathryn Henton is editor of Networks, GITA's bimonthly newsletter.... Brent Jones is GITA's president. 2008The 2008 Geospatial Infrastructure Solutions Conference (formerly Annual Conference) is March 9-12 in Seattle ... David Nemeth is GITA's president. 2009GIS for Oil & Gas Calgary Conference maintains attendance despite slow economy ... Xcel Energy and GSECO Energy receive GITA Excellence Awards ... J. Peter Gomez is recipient of GITA Distinguished Service Award ... ASCE President-Elect Blaine D. Leonard to give keynote at 2009 Solutions Conference ... Doug Leibbrandt is GITA's president. 2010GITA hires relationship development and marketing staff ... GITA announces 2011 officers and at-large directors ... Congratulations 2010 award recipients ... Roger Tomlinson named recipient of 2010 GITA Lifetime Award ... Panhandle Energy receives GITA's Innovator Award ... GITA Becomes a member of the GISCI; Organization, signs MOU ... GITA's Excellence Award Given to GIS consortium ... Dan Bowditch receives Distinguished Service Award ... Two GITA board members, research committee chair appointed To NGAC ... 2010 Winter Olympics CIO gives keynote speech at 2010 GITA Conference. ... Cindi Salas and Dr. Robert Austin serve as GITA presidents. 2011GITA announces partnership with the NAPSG ... GITA to partner with Utilimetrics on Autovation 2011 ... GITA announces GECCo partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ... GITA congratulates 2011 Innovator and Excellence Award recipients ... GITA publishes first edition of e-newsletter ... 2011 Geospatial Solutions Conference announces new program features ... Dr. Robert Austin continues as GITA president. 2012GITA issues report on Geospatial Data Collaboration ... GITA transitions to new business model ... GITA Oil & Gas Conference revived ... GITA revamps web presence, membership structure. ... GITA's conference proceedings, newsletters, and other printed and digital educational materials now have a permanent home at the University of Denver. The archives were made possible by Steven R. Hick, GIS Director and Lecturer at DU's Department of Geography.... Dan Shannon is GITA's president. 2013SharedGeo of St. Paul, Minnesota, contracts with GITA to support the association's operations ... PennWell and GITA join forces on pipeline conference ... EnerGIS issues call for papers ... PennWell and GITA open Oil and Gas Pipeline Conference website ... Speaker slots go fast for GIS: More Than Just A Map. ... EnerGIS presentations are made live in high definition on YouTube ... GITA's 2013 annual business meeting is available online ... GITA details board election results ... The 2013 Oil & Gas Pipeline Meeting is the best attended in years ... Talbot Brooks becomes GITA's president. 2014GITA adopts a policy on diversity and inclusion ... The first international GECCo event is held in Vietnam ... Talbot Brooks continues as GITA's president. 2015GITA sponsors a new spring event ... GITA sponsors GoGeomatics Back to School socials ... GITA Joins GeoBuiz 2015 as a strategic partner ... GITA welcomes two new board members ... Mark Limbruner is GITA's president. 2016GITA spring 2016 conference schedule is announced ... registration opens for Upper Midwest Geospatial Conference ... Mark Limbruner continues as GITA's president. 2017UMGEOCON 2018's call for abstracts opens ... GITA chapter based in Pennsylvania partners with private industry ... GITA welcomes new board members ... ... Recognizing that geospatial technologies have spread well beyond infrastructure based industries, the board of directors refreshed the association’s vision and mission statements ... Matt Thomas and Mark Limbruner serve this year as GITA presidents. 2018The Pipeline Technology Forum, co-produced by Gulf Energy Information and GITA, takes the place of former Pipeline Week conference ... Upper Midwest Geospatial Conference program is announced ... GITA selects new management company, Civica Associations, returning headquarters to Aurora, Colorado ... GITA launches redesigned website at GITA.org ... Mark Limbruner continues as GITA president. 2019GITA conducted monthly webinars throughout the year. ... The Pipeline Technology Forum was Oct. 2-3 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. 2020GITA again sponsored monthly webinars year-round ... Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, GITA holds its first virtual pipeline forum from Aug. 25-27 ... Drew Fioranelli ascended to the presidency. 2021GITA unveiled a partnership with a fiscal sponsor, the National Trust for Nonprofits. ... The association committed to emphasizing four pillars -- Mentoring, Education, Recognition, and Scholarship -- built on twin foundations of Leadership and Diversity.
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