Our annual "GIS in the Rockies" conference, held September 25-27, was a great success, with over 500 attendees! The Plaza at the Mart at the Denver Merchandise Mart served as our new venue this year, and many positive comments were received from attendees and exhibitors. The response was so positive, in fact, that the organizing committee has decided to return to the Mart next year. Workshops were held on Monday on a variety of subjects, with Curt Sumner, ACSM Executive Director, as Luncheon speaker. The conference and exposition were held on Tuesday and Wednesday. Keynote Speaker Marc Holtzman, Colorado Secretary of Technology, delivered an amusing and thought-provoking speech to start things off. Afterward, he cut the ribbon to officially open the Exhibit Hall with a little pomp and circumstance. Twelve technical sessions provided the strongest technical program in many years, as well as some difficult choices for conference attendees. Sessions covered the whole gamut of GIS-related topics. The Mart has a wonderfully open and airy atmosphere for the Exhibit Hall, providing a great opportunity for networking among vendors and attendees. Breaks and social events were held in the exhibit area to allow participants maximum opportunities to wander among the booths. ASPRS-RMR had an impressive display and got to show off the new region banner with updated society logo. Considering the conference was held at a new venue, it ran smoothly and was a huge success. The organizing committee is already meeting to plan next year's event, and reviewing the evaluations submitted by attendees and exhibitors.

Welcome New Members!!!

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Are you no longer eligible for a Student Membership but not quite ready for full membership status? Become an Associate today! The ASPRS Board of Directors recently passed a new by-law that created the Associate Member category. ASPRS is pleased to offer this new membership opportunity. Our goal is to provide a way to better help you remain involved with your Society. For more information on how to become an Associate Member, please contact headquarters at membership@asprs.org

Jeppesen Sanderson Inc. hosted a technical tour for ASPRS-RMR on October 20 at their Englewood, CO headquarters. Jeppesen publishes print and electronic navigation data. It also provides aviation software products, computerized flight planning, pilot training systems and supplies, and aviation weather and maintenance information. It annually publishes more than 2 billion aviation charts. Jeppesen invested heavily during the past four years to convert its vast databases for electronic distribution via the Internet and by satellite.

Nearly 25 people attended a most interesting look inside this dynamic aeronautics company. The tour began with a little history of the company, founded in 1934 by Capt. Elrey Jeppesen. Jeppesen began making flight charts for his own use, but soon he began to distribute them to other pilots, and it wasn't long before the demand grew. He started a business in his basement, hiring local students to do the cartographic work. Today the company is the leading provider of flight information and is on the cutting edge of aviation technology. This is evidenced by the recent acquisition by Boeing, the world's largest maker of commercial aircraft.

Our tour group was treated to a look at Jeppesen's personal photo collection and a series of demos on various aspects of the operation. One demo featured flight planning software that allows pilots to acquaint themselves with air routes and airports around the world. Maps, flight charts and other infor-ma-tion are obtained from the host country, then translated and converted to digital form by Jeppesen staff, many of whom come from other countries and provide translation services. Another demo high-lighted flight planning software that utilizes 3-D terrain models to mimic the terrain around airports to allow pilots to avoid mountains, cliffs, and negotiate other rugged terrain such as narrow valleys while taking off or landing. A third demo illustrated devel-op-ment of airport traffic management programs which coordinate airplane taxiing patterns to maximize fuel efficiency, as well as airport service vehicle routes, including emergency vehicle traffic routes. Maximum efficiency and safety is essential at the world's largest and busiest airports. The final stage of the tour brought the entire group back together for a summary of all aspects of company operations and a chance to ask questions. After-ward, a social event was held at a nearby brewery and restaurant. This provided dual benefits: a chance to network and become better acquainted while avoiding rush hour traffic.

It has been quite a while since our last technical tour, but now that we are better able to contact our membership via e-mail announcements, we hope to begin to have these tours more frequently. They offer an excellent opportunity for members to see the inner workings of businesses in our field as well as for networking with each other.

If your organization is interested in hosting a tour, we'd love to hear from you. Contact Sheila Pelczarski, phone 303.628.6511 or email sgp@denverwater.org.

Exciting news!!! Denver was selected by the national conference coordinating committee to host the 2004 Annual ASPRS Convention! This is an excellent opportunity for Rocky Mountain Region members. A planning committee is now being formed to coordinate this event. Contact one of your Board of Directors if you would like to help and be part of this landmark event.

Mark your calendars for our annual dinner and installation of officers for Saturday, January 27, 2001. Your Board of Directors has decided to be adventurous and try a new venue this time: Jester's Dinner Theatre and School for the Performing Arts in Longmont. The seating arrangements at Jester's allow our entire group to sit together for dinner and the show, which is something that has been lacking in other theaters. The show will be "Nuncrackers," a comedy. Dinner is a sit-down service with entree choices including Chicken Cordon Bleu, Lemon Pepper Cod, Turkey & Dressing, and Prime Rib. The theater also offers appetizers, dessert, and a full bar. It's always a very entertaining evening, so why not plan to join us? Below you'll find an order form to return for tickets. Mark your calendars now for this fun event!!

5:00 pm -- installation of officers and awards ceremony

6:00 pm -- cocktails and dinner

7:30 pm -- performance of "NUNCRACKERS"

Name ________________________________________

Phone number ____________________

Number attending _____ X $25.00 = $________ (Amount enclosed)

Email / FAX ________________________________________

Please send to:

Becky Bottlemy
1976 S. Vivian Street
Lakewood, CO 80228

Questions? Call at 303-202-4635 or email blbottlemy@usgs.gov

International GIS Day was observed November 15. GIS Day was introduced in 1999 by ESRI President Jack Dangermond as a grassroots effort to enhance public awareness of the substantial contributions GIS technology is making in communities around the globe. Many GIS professionals mark this day by going into their local schools and demonstrating the broad applicability of GIS to students. Locally, an Open House was held at the University of Colorado-Denver GIS lab to mark GIS Day. The multi-disciplinary Facility for Advanced Spatial Technology (FAST) Lab has received an infusion of new computer workstations, software and networking infrastructure installed in larger quarters at their downtown Denver campus. The cooperative FAST Lab is the primary GIS and remote sensing learning and research facility for the Colleges of Architecture and Planning, Engineering, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Please contact any Board member if you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors for 2001. The Board comprises the following positions (* indicates those open next year):

• President*
• Vice President*
• Secretary*
• Treasurer*
• National Director (3-yr. position)
• Regional Director ("GIS in the Rockies" conf.)*
• Regional Director ("GIS in the Rockies" conf.)
• Regional Director (At-Large)*
• Regional Director (General)
• Regional Director (Communications Coordinator)
• Past President

Regional Directors are 2-year positions, elected on a staggered schedule to facilitate continuity from year to year. The remaining open positions are 1-year appointments.

Has your address changed? Phone number changed? Is your membership up for renewal? Don't let your membership lapse and miss out on any Society national or region news or your issues of PE&RS. To check on your membership status, visit the new website server at www.eserv.asprs.org and watch your e-mail/mail for renewal notices. Headquarters will soon e-mail members with account and password information for log-in. Help us to keep the member database current and accurate.

The Surveying and Mapping Degree Program, headed by Dr. Herbert W. Stoughton, at Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD), is pleased to announce that it will provide a Fundamentals of Surveying for GIS Users course. This study opportunity will be available to interested persons who are not surveying majors. The course will be offered beginning with the start of the Spring semester in January 2001.

"A course similar to this is difficult to find, and yet very needed within the industry," said Dr. Stoughton. "It will instruct students about fundamental surveying and mapping methods applicable for GIS use which are employed to collect field data for inclusion in GIS databases."

The course will include five areas of study:

• Field Measurements
• Computations
• Analyzation of Measurements and Calculations
• Development of Cadastre Maps
• Coordinate Systems

The Surveying and Mapping Degree Program at MSCD is supported by the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado. Since 1997, its enrollment has increased by 150 percent.

Have you reviewed your membership benefits lately? Member benefits and services include:

• Monthly journal Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing (PE&RS);
• Discounts of 25-40% on all ASPRS publications;
• Job Fair access;
• Discounts on registration fees for ASPRS Annual Meetings and Specialty Conferences;
• Discounts on ASPRS Workshops;
• Receipt of your Region's Newsletter;
• Region specialty conferences, workshops, technical tours and social events;
• Opportunities to participate in ISPRS activities;
• Local, regional, national, and international networking opportunities;
• Invitations to Technical Committee and Division meetings;
• Eligibility for over $18,000 in National and Regional awards, scholarships and fellowships;
• Opportunity to obtain professional certification;
• Opportunity to enroll in group insurance programs (Life Insurance, Dental Plan, Cancer Expense Plan and Professional Liability Insurance).