ArcNews has been featuring a series of articles honoring individuals who have made a difference in the world by applying a GIS solution to challenges or needs within their communities. Since these unique individuals have been selected for their innovations or special achievements in a particular field, the series is appropriately named GIS Heroes. The following are honorees.

Mukund Rao Mukund Rao Steers Data and GIS for Global Spatial Data Infrastructure		Gary Moll Gary Moll Wants People and Nature to Work Together		Gov. Martin O'Malley Governor Martin O'Malley Leads with GIS
Leslie Armstrong USGS' Leslie Armstrong—GIS Hero		Henning Sten Hansen GIS Pioneer: Henning Sten Hansen—Denmark's First Professor in Geoinformatics		Lata Iyer (left) and Prashant Hedao GIS Emissaries Build Communities of Harmony
David Blankinship David Blankinship at the Forefront of Fire Service Applications		Paul Tweed High-School Teacher Paul Tweed Uses GIS to Encourage Higher-Level Thinking		Randy Johnson Commissioner Randy Johnson Evangelizes Importance of GIS at Local and National Level
Jacqueline daCosta GIS Pioneer: Jacqueline daCosta Champions GIS		Steeve Ebener WHO Manager Steeve Ebener Unites Global Support of Human Health with GIS		Tom Tate Tom Tate is Turning Responsibility Over to the Youth, One Community at a Time
Kate Lance Kate Lance Helps Unite the Geospatial Community		Steven Robinson Firefighter Inspires New Mapping System to Help Assess Risks, Map Fires, and Allocate Resources		Father Jeff Putthoff Hopeworks Founder Father Jeff Putthoff Encourages Youth Development with Technology Training
Susan Minnemeyer GIS Hero Susan Minnemeyer Works for Frontier Forest Conservation		Chris Warner Mission to Help the Environment Results in Helping Endangered Children		Mark Ericson Science Instructor Mark Ericson at the Santa Fe Indian School