In our pages last month, a longtime wish for many of us here came to fruition. Most importantly, many of you shared that same wish and, in fact, encouraged us to get the POB Top 100 off the ground.

Leaders and stakeholders alike throughout the geospatial, surveying and mapping sectors had for years wondered aloud just how big the geospatial market is and who exactly is doing this work throughout the country and beyond. There were plenty of guesses out there, many of them highly educated, but a definitive study was lacking in many people’s eyes. Many of you hinted, suggested and even downright leaned on POB to get such a project done, saying we and our market research partners were ideally situated to do so. We’re so glad you did.

The inaugural POB Top 100 market study, the full results of which are in a report available for purchase from Clear Seas Research, did much more than list the top 100 companies in terms of geospatial revenue, although that alone is a very important, high-profile, perhaps even sexy part of the program. Good companies deserve and in many cases appreciate the recognition that goes along with being on such a list. However, companies outside the top 100 are as important as the juggernauts in providing the data required to try to capture the accurate snapshot of the entire business space, as we likewise charged ourselves with.

Both major components of the market study — and their various subjects covered deeply in the questions our market research partners and our market partners cooperatively developed and circulated to companies — are integral. Collectively, they form the cornerstone of what we believe will become an annual must-have for anyone and everyone who has a vested interest in geospatial.

And that’s the key. The inaugural POB Top 100, while coming to fruition, is truly just a beginning. POB staff and our partners throughout BNP Media are committed to this being an annual celebration of you and the fine work you do.

Being a first-time project, we sent out queries to companies via various mailing lists, trying to connect with as many of you as possible even if it meant coming at you from different directions and possibly receiving multiple responses from the same organization in return. Regardless, as a new effort, we knew that inevitably we’d miss some good folks along the way.

Our collective thought, and most certainly my personal wish, was that when the results ultimately saw the light of day, people we did miss would reach out and say, “Hey, that’s great to see, but how can we be involved in the future?”

Sending me a note directly is the best way to ensure that. And, as of this writing, that is exactly what’s been happening. Thank you all.

Share your thoughts on this column at pobonline.com or rpls.com. To contact any POB editors, send an email to andersonmd@bnpmedia.com.