2011 Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Awards

Every time you attend you come away with a feeling of awe. There's so much knowledge at UC. It gives you an awareness of how powerful GIS is, and how empowering it is becoming.

-Clancy Finmand, GIS Analyst, Washoe County School District

The UC is the one mandatory event I need to go to every year. If I don't go, I don't know how to plan for the year. It helps me decide what we need to do and how to spend our resources.

-JB Akin, GIS Technology Manager, SandRidge Energy

You simply can't be the most effective GIS user you can be without attending the Esri UC regularly. The technical workshops alone are worth ten times the cost of travel. There is no better way to keep up with trends and changes in GIS technology.

-Stacey Maples, GIS Analyst and Instruction Coordinator, Yale University

This is an incredible gathering of innovative thinkers, with opportunities to connect with and build collaborations with people in fields that otherwise might not realize their collaborative potential. People from urban planning, conservation, science, and education fields connected and shared ideas about how their technology and innovative use of GIS may cross disciplines in unexpected ways.

-Ann Mayo-Kiely, Alaska Geographic

The technical workshops offered at the conference were outstanding and full of immediately useful information. I can't wait to return to San Diego for next year's conference!

-Christopher Stueve, Planning Technician, Ozarks Transportation Organization

I thought I knew everything about the products, but I learned something new every day, either in the workshops or in the exhibit hall.

-Tim Fendrich, Consultant, GIS Danmark

It's always inspirational to see people with the same look in their eyes – that they're going to go back and fix it, and do it right. You meet people who have the same problems, and you can share with them and go back home with renewed interest in what you're doing.

-Ken Bates, GIS Extension Specialist, Kentucky State University

My first Esri conference exceeded my expectations more than I could have imagined. Though I came with many years of GIS experience in my area of specialization, I very quickly learned of methods and resources which will totally revolutionize the way I work. I can hardly wait to implement the things I've learned. Beyond the knowledge, I met many helpful and brilliant people who have shared generously of their time and expertise.

-Barry Conner, GIS Analyst, City of Huntsville, TX

Esri never fails to amaze me. The User Conference experience is exciting, informative and rejuvenating. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the way the world fits together.

-Carolyn Hughes, GIS Grants Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy

Fantastic conference in a wonderful setting. It is truly an event. As a first-time attendee, I am hooked and look forward to attending next year.

-Adrian VerHagen, Land Survey Technician, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

The Esri UC is a must-attend event. Attendees are able to get comprehensive instruction in ArcGIS software and meet many other GIS users who share their interests and issues.

-William Walter, GIS Manager, PBSJ

This is one of the most instructive and uplifting conferences I've ever attended. Thank you for providing abundant networking and in-depth training opportunities. Esri's International User Conference has been invaluable. I will benefit personally as well as professionally.

-Theresa Thompson, New School of Architecture & Design

The knowledge gained and contacts made were worth much more than the cost of attending.

-James Potteiger, Fire Systems Analyst, Baltimore City Fire Department

The Esri User Conference is the one-stop-shop learning experience every GIS professional should mark on their calendar.

-Robert Largent, Environmental Specialist, Cherokee Nation

The Esri User Conference is the most valuable week of my year. The technical workshops are excellent and the opportunities to meet others and exchange ideas is unsurpassed. I get energized each year by attending the conference.

-Kevin Sato, GIS/IT Services Manager, Cottonwood Heights, Utah

The most valuable aspect of UC is meeting people who do the same work as you in different countries and organizations. It's important to share GIS experiences.

-Alejandra Episcopo, Aeroterra

The sheer variety of sessions and presentations was amazing.

-Toni Jackson, San Antonio Water System

The Esri International User Conference is a living demonstration that GIS is not a single discipline. GIS is a collection of branches working together to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. This conference provides the means for individual GIS branches to leverage each other.

-Larry Davis, Cartographer, U.S. Geological Survey

The UC offered lots of useful interaction with Esri staff to work through details of our application.

-Brendan Ward , Conservation Biologist and GIS Analyst, Conservation Biology Institute

Thanks to my first Esri UC, I now feel that I have support and strengthened hope to implement our local GIS.

-Ali Morey, QA Analyst, NASA

The conference is a great gathering place for Esri users and it is awesome to see how international it has become. I am proud to be part of this unique and technologically progressive group.

-Luis Bleuze, Worklink Coordinator, Genesis Academy

I've been to 15 User Conferences in a row. Each one is different, yet the ongoing theme of support for the Esri GIS community and inspiration for us to take home is always there.

-Drew Stephens, Director, The GIS Institute

This was my first User Conference, and I felt like a kid in a candy store. There was simply too much good stuff in a short time. It was great.

-Nick Schaer, Geologist, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection