Timeline of Events

Late 1960's - A group from the Public Service Company of Colorado is the first to develop an automated mapping/facilities management system.

1978 - People saw the technology's potential and they decided to hold the first "Keystone Conference," which attracted 32 attendees.

1982 - A formal not-for-profit organization was chartered to serve this growing industry with an educational forum to exchange ideas and keep up with changing technologies. The association was named AM/FM International.

1998 - AM/FM International changed its name to the Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA). GITA's mission was to provide excellence in education and information exchange on the use and benefits of geospatial information and technology in telecommunications, infrastructure, and utility applications worldwide.

2000 - Membership had grown to include more than 2,200 individuals, 140 user affiliates, and 150 vendor companies. The Annual Conference attracted more than 3,800 industry professionals who attended nearly 100 educational sessions. A 100,000-square-foot exhibition hall showcased hardware, software, and services provided by more than 140 vendor companies.

Present - Tens of thousands of geospatial applications in use. Organizations throughout the world are using the technology to transform manually produced maps and associated descriptive records into powerful digital databases. Once a tool that was affordable only to the largest organizations, geospatial systems have become a cost-effective option for even the smallest organizations.

Copyright © 2007 Geospatial Technology