Trimble’s Jim Kirkland, leader in Save Our GPS effort, to speak
PHOENIX – MAPPS, the national association of private sector geospatial firms, announced last week that Jim Kirkland, vice president and general counsel of Trimble and a leader in the Save Our GPS effort to defend GPS users from interference by the LightSquared system proposal, will be the keynote speaker at the organization’s annual Winter Conference, to be held January 22 through 26 at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel here.
According to conference organizers, Kirkland will discuss the LightSquared issue, its impact on GPS users (including consumers and the geospatial community), the current status of LightSquared’s proposal, prospects for the future, lessons learned and how the lobbying and public relations experience can serve the profession on future issues.
For more on the LightSquared GPS issue, see our SPAR coverage on the subject.
“We are honored to have Mr. Kirkland as our keynote speaker,” said MAPPS executive director John Palatiello, in a prepared statement. “MAPPS has worked with Trimble and the Coalition to Save Our GPS to protect GPS users from the negative impacts of LightSquareds proposal. Jim Kirkland has been instrumental in developing and implementing strategies on this important issue and we look forward to hearing his insights on the entire process.”
In addition to Kirkland’s keynote address, MAPPS reports it has prepared “a first-class business and technical education program” to be presented at the conference. Topics on the conference program will include “The Business Opportunity in Cloud Computing”; “Is FAA Shutting Down LiDAR?”; “NGA’s GeoInt Data Services Contract”; “A National Enhanced Elevation Program”; “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)”; “A National Geodetic Survey (NGS) National Gravity Program”; “The NERC Market for Geospatial Data” and much more.
