History

URISA - A SHORT HISTORY

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U-OC Overview
Background information on the Chapter and its activities

The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association was founded in the United States in 1963 as a non-profit organization focusing on information technology education and issues. Today there are over 7,000 members internationally, including 26 regional chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada and sister organizations in Asia, Australia, and Europe.

URISA – Ontario Chapter was established in 1987 with less than 50 members and incorporated in Ontario on March 31, 1992. In the beginning, the Chapter focused on education, which is now being complemented by new initiatives. Today, there are more than 500 members from diverse backgrounds in both the public, private and educational sectors and is recognized by other organizations as Ontario's GIS organization.

Our Chapter in Review

by Sandra Crutcher, URISA - Ontario Chapter Executive Director

In 1988, organizers accepted the challenge to give shape and substance to the idea of an Ontario association of URISA. Concepts, terms such as interdisciplinary, integration, GIS, public/private partnerships, reengineering were leading edge ideas. Networking once referred to breakfast meetings and the exchange of business cards. (It still does!) Communications today,URISA - Ontario Chapter has played a significant role by providing timely and informative educational sessions on such topics as data sources/sharing, accuracy, data modeling, and FOI to name a few.
U-OC partnered with the Tri-Committee, MISA, and AM/FM to host 3 very successful municipal conferences (1991-93.), developed workshops such as the Disaster Strikes and the Basics of GIS.

Our members share experiences through annual municipal updates, discuss the impact of technology in the workplace, explored the "RE's" of re-inventing government, re-engineering the corporation, and revisiting GIS as headlined in our quarterly newsletters.

In 1994, an internet task force was established to set direction in this important area. Since that time, U-OC has incorporated a fully integrated content management website for its membership database management, event scheduling and tracking. In the member's area, a knowledgebase consisting of the current edition and past newsletters in .pdf format are available for members to read online and/or print off as required.

Quarterly program events and the annual GIS focused Be Spatial EXPO has provided forum for member vendors and users to visually explore applications and new technology.

URISA - Ontario Chapter has been an active participant in a number of initiatives including the Municipal Reference Model project, Land Information Ontario (LIO) and ONLIS, submitted a position paper to the Sewell commission on planning reform and in 1997, it was instrumental in attracting and subsequently hosting the URISA International conference held in Toronto.

What Is The Role For URISA - Ontario Chapter Today?
Among other things, the interdisciplinary focus of the organization provides a valuable forum for those public and private sector professionals involved in the intensely important application of information technology and integration of land-related data. IT, GIS, planning, conservation, surveying, engineering, teaching, vendor and consulting fields are well represented in our over 500 members. A strong base to serve our members well into the future.

Awards

Leadership Award URISA International, Chicago U.S.A.

Presented to members who have demonstrated exemplary leadership to URISA, creativity, innovation, and dedicated support of URISA programs. The recipient should be a member of URISA for enough years to show a pattern of leadership. Typically the recipient will have been responsible for new programs or activities, or significantly enhanced an existing activity or program, so that it takes URISA in a new direction and/or enhances our standing in the professional community.

Past Recipients:

1979 Steve Kinzy
1980 Dale Richmond, Robert Harper
1981 Tom Palmerlee
1982 Ben Cramer
1983 D. David Moyer
1984 Lee P. Johnston, MacDonald Barr
1985 Libby Clapp
1986 Michael J. Kevany, Constance C. Blackmon
1987 William Huxhold
1988 Robert H. Alexander
1989 William J. Craig
1990 William J. Bamberger
1991 John Antenucci
1992 Dan Parr
1993 Nancy von Meyer
1994 Nora Evans
1995 Sandra Crutcher
1996 David DiSera, Mary Tsui
1997 Peter Van DeMark, Don Evans
1998 Ed Crane, Lyna Wiggins
1999 Peter Croswell, Martha Lombard
2000 Nancy Lerner
2001 Hilary Perkins
2002 Joseph Ferreira, Jr., Nancy Tosta
2003 Shoreh Elhami
2004 Peirce Eichelberger
2005 Jack (Al) Butler