GEOINT 2019: STL Descends on SAT
As a geographically savvy bunch, it might seem odd to GEOINT Symposium attendees that they are surrounded by so many things St. Louis this week in…San Antonio. If you heard VADM Bob Sharp’s energetic opening keynote address on Monday morning, you’ve probably figured it out. You won’t be able to miss the city’s delegation during the course of the event. And it’s absolutely poetic that during GEOINT 2019, the St. Louis Blues are in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 49 years (including a fantastic 4-2 win on Monday night)!
Imbued with a long history of providing a supportive home for NGA and some of its predecessor organizations, the St. Louis Community has gone ‘all-in’ on geospatial intelligence during the competition for, and the awarding of, the new $1.7B NGA West Campus to the city. The city, led by the infectious enthusiasm of Mayor Lyda Krewson is working tirelessly to align academia, industry, and government at every level to pave the way for the success of the new facility. Their goals, however, far exceed that vitally important endeavor.
The community is committed in word and deed to establishing St. Louis as the geospatial intelligence center of our Nation – and the world. The Mayor is joined in her quest by people at all levels, including Governor Parson, Senator Blunt, Representative Clay, and myriad business and academic leaders. Their collective zeal and commitment to this vision is remarkable. Innovation opportunities at existing entities/sites like the Cortex Innovation Community, T-Rex (now including Geosaurus Rex), and The Globe Building are buzzing with interest right now.
Planning for the future includes continued growth at Cortex, and new developments including the pioneering Northside Regeneration development project around the NGA West site which will ensure the new campus facility is integrated into a vibrant living/working community. This will allow NGA and other site tenant organizations, along with their supporting contractors, to fully integrate with the citizens of St. Louis’s North Side, reveling in the area’s rich cultural history – not remaining hermetically sealed behind guarded walls, with employees driving in and out from distant suburbs.
Booz Allen, T-Carta, Planet, Harris, Esri, and many other companies are already represented in St. Louis, and Esri has recently announced plans to grow its footprint. Many other such announcements are sure to come as traditional geospatial intelligence companies grow existing workforces, other related companies head to town to establish a presence, and numerous startups emerge, attracted to the beacon of the ambitious commitment St. Louis is making to its geospatial intelligence ecosystem.
Finally, Mizzou, SLU, Harris Stowe, and Wash U. are all working hard to build upon existing geospatial intelligence related programs, and/or to develop new offerings. There will be tremendous demand for education, training, and professional development as the size of the workforce rapidly scales in St. Louis. NGA and USGIF are fully engaged, and the USGIF St. Louis Area Working Group (SLAWG) is at the center of the entire effort, providing a useful ‘non-denominational’ forum for communications, networking, and community-building.
You won’t be able to miss ‘Team STL’ in San Antonio this week. Take the time to speak with some of them in and around Booth 1442. See Mayor Krewson speak on Wednesday morning, and see an outstanding public-private panel discussing the future of geospatial intelligence in St. Louis on the Government Pavilion Stage at 12:30 on Wednesday afternoon. If you don’t have a vision for how your company or organization is going to be an integral part of this magnificent opportunity, then now’s the time to figure it out. There’s never been a better time to be a geospatial intelligence professional, and there’s never been a city ready, willing, and able to step up to be the center of geospatial intelligence innovation. The future of our profession is decidedly “STLMade.” Go Blues!