Featured Speakers
Sit back and listen to compelling keynote presentations brought to you from some of the best innovators in GIS. Find out how these leading companies gain actionable intelligence across all lines of business in order to drive business change.
Mark Smith - Featured Speaker for Location Analytics Track
CEO & Chief Research Officer
Ventana Research
Mark is responsible for the overall business and research direction of Ventana Research and drives the global research agenda covering both business and technology areas. He defined the blueprint and methodology for improving business by using benchmark research to provide guidance across people, processes, information and technology. Mark is an expert in enterprise software and business technology innovations including: business analytics, big data, cloud computing, business collaboration, mobile technology and social media.
Mark has held CMO, research and product development roles at research and software companies. Mark started Ventana Research more than a decade ago. He has worked in the software industry for 25 years leading innovations in research and technology.
Mark was rated the 2011 software industry analyst of the year by The Institute of Industry Analyst Relations (IIAR). Mark is also ranked as one of the top ten technology influencers in 2012 by Human Resources Executive magazine. Mark can be found on Twitter at @marksmithvr, on LinkedIn, via email at mark.smith@ventanaresearch.com or via his blog at http://marksmith.ventanaresearch.com.
Nigel Davis
Head of Platforms & Delivery
Global Analytics
Nigel has worked for Willis for over 12 years. He currently works for Global Analytics which is responsible for empowering the organisation with risk analytics, leading edge technology and access to the Willis Research Network. Nigel focuses on the delivery of tools and platforms to internal users and clients and has a specialist domain knowledge in geospatial analytics.
Axel Bedikyan
Director – Marketing Intelligence & Planning
Cirque du Soleil
Axel leads the Marketing Intelligence function at Cirque du Soleil and has the mandate to support business decision making by delivering accurate and timely insights. Axel’s team is responsible for providing a clear picture of the live entertainment industry, Cirque du Soleil’s current and potential clients as well as market dynamics in an effort to underpin strategic marketing and business recommendations.
Julien Pearl
Sr. Director Real Estate Operations
Gap Inc.
Trained as a lawyer with a focus in Real Estate Development, Julien has spent time as a leader, strategist, and Real Estate developer. He currently leads Gap Inc’s Global Real Estate Operations which has supported domestic and international store growth. His team also houses one of the most in demand functions: creating, developing, and maintaining the GIS program at Gap. In his 23 years of experience in the Real Estate industry he has played significant roles in the domestic and international growth of major companies such as Target, Extended Stay America, and Barnes & Noble.
Jeff Bishop
Sr. GIS Analyst
Gap Inc.
Jeffrey Bishop is a Sr. GIS Analyst at Gap Inc. who focuses on developing GIS tools for the Corporate Real Estate division. Outside of his primary responsibilities in Global Real Estate, he has created the Gap Inc. GIS User Group and has helped foster the adoption of GIS across brands and business lines. Prior to his work at Gap Inc. he provided GIS and remote sensing consulting services for federal, state, and private clients and worked for the National Geodetic Survey. Jeff holds a M.S. in Geographic Information Systems from San Diego State University and a B.S. in Earth Sciences from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Brad Puckett
GIS Manager
Little Caesars Enterprises, Inc.
Brad has over 17 years of experience in the GIS field. He is responsible for the creation,
maintenance and development of the GIS program at Little Caesars. The GIS team provides
spatial data solutions and analytics to support store growth, market optimization and site
selection for domestic and international operations. Additionally, Brad and his team provide
spatial information to a number of their “sister companies,” including: Blueline Food
Distribution, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and Olympia Development.
Mike Colosimo
Co-Founder and CEO
thrdPlace
Mike has a diverse background. Currently he is the Co-Founder and CEO of a company called thrdPlace. ThrdPlace is a resourcing and storytelling platform for community improvement. A marketplace that connects the needs and resources of various stakeholders within our community focused on improving the places we all live and work. He also runs real estate investment fund focused on single family and small multi-family investments. Prior to thrdPlace, he worked as an Urban Planner for a global consultancy firm, Buro Happold. Working on a variety of projects from municipal master plans to international regional scale developments. Additionally - he is an Air Force veteran, ex-management consultant and board member of a number of non-profits in and around Southern California. He regularly speaks on impact investing, story telling and how technology is changing the landscape of physical communities around the world. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the US Air Force Academy and a MBA from the UCLA Anderson School.
Rob Reiner
Director of Real Estate Research
Darden
Darden is the operator of Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s, Bahama Breeze and Yard House restaurants across the United States. As director of real estate research, Rob is responsible for the strategic deployment plans, sales forecasting and GIS tools for the enterprise.
Rob has 30 years’ of experience in the development, implementation and use of GIS-based forecast systems from both the client and consultant perspective for restaurants and retailers. Prior to rejoining Darden in 2004, he spent 14 years with Thompson Associates/MapInfo.
Gregg Katz
Director of Innovation & Technology
The Shopping Center Group
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where the Shopping Center Group is also located, Gregg serves as Director of Innovation & Technology. He is responsible for the creation and integration of the technology strategy for the company. Using a forward thinking approach, Gregg’s focus is to create an infrastructure for data, analytics, social platforms, website, GIS, mobile technology and branding by leveraging information and tools to align the Company’s tactical plans and future growth with the needs of the company’s clients.
Gregg joined The Shopping Center Group in 2006 as a Tenant Rep Broker. Prior to joining the Company, he spent 15 years in restaurant operations, consulting, marketing and site selection, including owning and operating a quick-casual restaurant group in Orlando, Florida from 1996-2001. A graduate of Boston University with a degree in Business Management, he received his MBA from the University of Florida. Gregg, and his wife Elena, are the proud parents of two amazing boys.
Jill Boughton
President & CEO
W2Worth Innovations
Jill Boughton has spent 24 years in global product development with PROCTER & GAMBLE, emphasizing in Disruptive and Transformational Innovation. Jill has extensive hands on experience in the full range of product development, from initial concept and consumer research, to formulation/prototype development, to technology transfer and manufacturing, to mass production and launch, to management and development of large and varied product portfolios. Most recently, Jill led a corporate-wide effort known as "Waste to Worth", which is dedicated to delivering on P&G's long-term sustainability goal of eliminating consumer solid waste that is sent to landfills.
Jill has recently retired from her successful career at PROCTER & GAMBLE and has assumed the role of President & CEO at W2Worth Innovations continuing
the "Waste to Worth" charge. At W2Worth Innovations, Jill focuses on bringing together stakeholders in the waste management sector, including waste pickers, developers and governments to create solutions that convert waste into valuable resources. Jill has been partnering with Esri to create tools that leverage GIS in the waste space - enabling innovation and a future free from waste as we know it today.
Brian Smith
Director of Commercial Solutions
GeoDecisions
Brian Smith is the Director of Commercial Solutions at GeoDecisions concentrating in the Insurance and Manufacturing verticals. Brian has more than15 years of GeoSpatial technologies experience working in multiple verticals. Currently Brian works along with his partners to develop innovative solutions that streamline business process and work flow through GeoSpatial analysis and mapping. Brian has also been strategic adviser to Fishidy.com, a start-up that brings large amounts of GeoSpatial information and analysis to anglers throughout the United States.
Keith King
Private Sector General Manager
GISi
As the Private Sector General Manager for GISi, Keith is responsible for leading a team of technology and business domain experts who provide location technology solutions to commercial organizations. He is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the Private Sector line of business to include: team leadership, business development, marketing, and project execution.
Keith has a wide variety of experiences including 10 years of military service and 16 years in Corporate America, to include stints with; the largest semi-conductor capital equipment manufacturer, a leader in the medical capital equipment space, and an IT consulting practice. Prior to joining GISi, Keith worked for Esri. Today, Keith is passionate about solving business problems using Location Technology. His aim is to create insight and to help customers understand the inner workings of their organization.
Patrick Hayes
Managing Director North America
Galigeo
Mr. Hayes has over 32 years of broad-based business experience in corporate strategy, planning, business operations and advisory work across multiple industries and business types (B2B, B2C). Currently, Mr. Hayes is the Managing Director- North America for Galigeo, Inc. Galigeo provides innovative Location Analytics software solutions to solve complex location-dependent businesses problems. Galigeo customers leverage the software based solutions to improve analysis, synthesize and decision outcomes of both complex strategic challenges and more targeted operational needs, using both traditional analysis approaches with new or enhanced data visualization capabilities.
Mr. Hayes has broad business experience and a record of effectively transforming multiple organization’s marketing, channel sales, product management and customer service operations improvements. Mr. Hayes has worked in a variety of industries including Retail/ Distribution, Communications, Life Sciences, Consumer Products, Media/Entertainment, Financial Services, Technology, and Manufacturing.
Mark G. LeVeque
Product Consultant
Aon eSolutions
As a Product Consultant with Aon eSolutions, Mark is responsible for new software development initiatives and recently led the effort to implement Esri Maps for IBM Cognos within the Aon eSolutions Risk Management Information System. This solution, the RiskConsole, is used by large companies worldwide to help them assess, manage, and minimize risk.
Mark has an extensive background in the RMIS and ERM industry, particularly in customized solutions for enterprise wide applications.
Amy Fobes
Principal
geoCommunica
Amy Fobes is a geo-tech advisor who helps organizations win market share by achieving their operational and sales objectives with location intelligence. With twenty years of experience in sales, marketing and analytics, Amy has obtained a unique 360-degree view of the critical business requirements to develop and implement location intelligence across many Fortune 1000 companies. Prior to launching geoCommunica, Amy worked at global leading companies such as ESRI and Sun Microsystems. She has a B.A. from Hamilton College.