At the July 14, 2009, ESRI International Annual Conference of more than 10,000 worldwide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) users and professionals, President of ESRI, Dr. Jack Dangermond, described how, a century after Thomas Edison exhorted us to go out and invent our future, we can finally predict the impacts of such alternative futures, using GIS modeling. The theme of this year’s ESRI conference…“Designing Our Future.”

Pictured above, on the large conference screen, for all 10,000 worldwide ambassadors of GIS was…our East Central Florida 2050 Regional Vision! Dr. Dangermond used the above visual to illustrate where GIS modeling is being completed to the most sophisticated extent, the East Central Florida Region.

Claudia Paskauskas, GIS Manager for the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC), represented the ECFRPC and our region at the 2009 ESRI Conference. Ms. Paskauskas was able to learn more about how GIS addresses today’s business challenges by providing a more competitive edge, driving innovation, and increasing return on investment.

Geography is the science of the world and GeoDesign and modeling allows us to see the future and create our purpose. The World Wide Web is a powerful platform for GIS and more authoritative data is being built, such as high quality maps, visualizations, spatial analysis, models, and applications.

The ECFRPC is already ahead of the game when it comes to providing the best solutions to member counties and the region by having the greatest and latest technology available on the Central Florida Geographic Information Systems (CFGIS) website. In order to take advantage of this “best” technology and obtain GIS assistance, the Central Florida community can partner with the ECFRPC. Many community organizations and local governments have already taken advantage of ECFRPC services. For example, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 5 partnered with the ECFRPC to derive population and employment data for 2035 Long Range Transportation Plans for Central Florida. Click here to visit and learn more about the CFGIS website.

The Central Florida Regional Growth Vision designed around Conservation, Countryside, Centers and Corridors, is a result of "How Shall We Grow?" which engaged 20,000 Central Florida Residents in a thoughtful 18-month conversation. The second anniversary of “How Shall We Grow?” is around the corner and all partners, participants, and supporters should be extremely proud of our accomplishments! Click here for details about this event.

For additional information about the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council’s GIS department and CFGIS please contact Claudia Paskauskas at Claudia@ecfrpc.org.