The Middle Georgia Regional Commission received a Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award at the Esri International User Conference (Esri UC) in San Diego, California held July 16, 2014. This award acknowledges vision, leadership, hard work, and innovative use of Esri's geographic information system (GIS) technology.

The Middle Georgia Regional Commission uses Esri ArcGIS technology to assist its member local governments and partner agencies with geospatial mapping and analysis to increase efficiencies in organizational workflows and enhance decision making processes.  “The staff here at the Regional Commission is extremely proud to be recognized for our work in the field of GIS,” says Nick Kouloungis, Director of Technology Services at the MGRC, “but credit is due to our executive leadership and governing Council, who, over the past two decades, has consistently and progressively recognized the value of technology—and GIS specifically, and consistently supported us at a high level.”

The MGRC has also played a lead role in establishing an enterprise license agreement between Esri and the Georgia Association of Regional Commissions.  This agreement was the first of its kind in the U.S., and provided the regional commissions access to a suite of advanced GIS software products, expanded licensing, and technical training, which they are able to deploy to the benefit of all communities throughout the State of Georgia.  “This agreement strengthened all Regional Commissions by expanding and normalizing the level of GIS services each is able to offer” says Brent Lanford, Deputy Director of the Middle Georgia Regional Commission.  “This has allowed for greater collaboration with each other and with State and Federal Agencies using GIS technology, but the primary beneficiaries are the local communities we serve.”    

Organizations from around the world honored at the Esri UC span industries including agriculture, cartography, climate change, defense and intelligence, economic development, education, government, health and human services, telecommunications, and utilities.

"The SAG Awards identify the organizations and people that are using the power of geography to improve our world and drive change," says Esri president Jack Dangermond. "At Esri, we are always deeply inspired by the passion and innovation of our users. They deserve recognition for both solving their communities’ greatest challenges and for their invaluable contributions to the continued evolution of geographic science.”

For more information about the 2014 Special Achievement in GIS Award winners, please visit esri.com/sag.