MAPPS has unveiled a new format for the Winter Conference, as well as a lineup of sessions and programming. The conference will be held Jan. 31 through Feb. 3, 2016, at the Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Nev.

The 2016 Winter Conference will have all the usual programs and activities of a MAPPS Winter Meeting, along with several major improvements and revisions. MAPPS is introducing two track sessions: One is for principals, owners and partners; the other is for emerging leaders who are in middle management positions and make up the next generation of principals, owners and partners in MAPPS member firms.

Sessions for principals will include:

• UAV Policy and Best Practices
• USGS 3DEP Program
• Digital Coast and Data Integration
• Mentor-Protege
• POB Top 100

Sessions for emerging leaders will include:

• Leadership
• Ethics
• Contract Risk Management
• Finance for Non-Financial Managers

The Winter Conference will also include the presentation of the Ninth Annual Geospatial Products and Services Excellence Awards. The Excellence Awards seeks to recognize exceptional services, products, software and hardware produced by the companies that make up the MAPPS membership.

"MAPPS members do big things in the profession ... and for the profession," says MAPPS President Susan Marlow. "There is no better example of this than what transpires at MAPPS conferences. We are excited about the new emerging leaders track and welcome the new direction the Winter Conference is taking."

Registration is now open. MAPPS is offering a new membership incentive program. If a non-member firm attends the Winter Conference and joins MAPPS, the difference between member and non-member conference registrations rates will be credited.   

About MAPPS

MAPPS is a national association of firms in the surveying, spatial data and geographic information systems field in the United States. MAPPS member firms are engaged in surveying, photogrammetry, satellite and airborne remote sensing, aerial photography, hydrography, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS and GIS data collection and conversion services. Their associate members include firms that provide products and services to member firms, as well as other firms worldwide.