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SCAUG regional Awards

2023 Award Winners


Founders Award

Colin Brooks, OK Corporation Commission 

 There are two things all outstanding GIS people have in common is 1) a powerful drive to solve problems and 2) the creativity to take existing data and technology and make something new that make people’s jobs and lives easier.  

Colin takes those two qualities and cranks them up to 11, while blending them with tenacity in the face of logistical hurdles and an expansive knowledge base not just in GIS, but in many related areas. Because of him, the Ok Corporation Commission (OCC) finally has a fully-functioning ArcGIS Enterprise account. Since launching Enterprise, Colin has created many tools that benefit the employees of the OCC and the public as a whole. He created the OCC Well Data Finder, which ties together our well database as well as the well document imaging system. It's has 10's of 1000's of hits already and it's only been live less than a year. He also created the new Aerial Photo Viewer, which is the final step of the Oklahoma Historical Aerial Photo Digitization Project--the piece de resistance. And, when he learned that the Department of Interior was requiring a ranking criteria based on environmental justice issues for grantees to manage well plugging projects with their $25 million grants (which includes the OCC), he was able to create exactly what our staff needed to meet the grant requirements. The tools he’s made for the OCC Oil and Gas Division are game-changers in the way we display our data, do our jobs, and interact with stakeholders.     

State Employees are all public servants. They aren’t in it for the money. They are in it for the private satisfaction of knowing they did a good thing. But sometimes, we get a chance to recognize them in front of our colleagues for going above and beyond.  Colin has made GIS work for the OCC in ways I did not think possible. His drive, knowledge, and imagination I believe make him a very strong contender for this award. 


Thumbs Up Awards

Leah Nash, Candace Johnston-Perry, Daniela Spade, OU Center for Spatial Analysis 

The OU Center for Spatial Analysis (CSA) has been a friend and partner of SCAUG's for the past 10+ years.  CSA has co sponsored events, helped in coordination efforts, supplied give away items, promoted activites and helped us in any way necessary.  Leah's can do attitude is always refreshing when SCAUG needs assistance and she has an amazing abilty to jump through hoops to get tasks done quickly and efficiently.  Candace and Daniela have attended multiple Regional and OKSCAUG events and are always willing to present or do a poster on a moments notice. I always know if there is any way possible they will be on site to help out and partcipate in any way possible.  As the home of the OU Data Warehouse, CSA plays a critical role in serving out data to the State of Oklahoma and their staff makes sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. OU CSA and their staff are very deserving of the SCAUG Thumbs Up Award.

Founders Awards

Founder's Award Nomination Form

The Founders Award was created in 1990 to recognize exceptional contributions by an individual or agency, from either the private or public sector, that have significantly enhanced the importance of geospatial sciences and made significant contributions toward advancing the use of GIS. The individual or agency is identified as a GIS leader that has helped set a new standard of GIS within the SCAUG region. The award is based upon the innovative use of current technology, a creative approach to GIS business processes, the recent integration of major program initiatives, program effectiveness, the transferability of ideas to other organizations, education and training initiatives, and community outreach.

  • 2008 Winner - Scott Samson, GISP, CMS, Mississippi State University
  • 2009 Winner - City of New Braunfels
  • 2010 Winner - Columbia Regional Geospatial Service Center
  • 2011 Winner - Texas Natural Resource Information System
  • 2012 Winner - Association Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG)
  • 2013 Winner - Pam Jurney, Red Plains Professionals
  • 2014 Winner - Justin Cure, City of Longview, Texas
  • 2015 Winner - Katy Rich, Williams
  • 2016 Winner - Matthew Wormus and the OKDEQ GIS Subcommittee
  • 2017 Winner  - Jann Hook & Sara Cobb, Founders of OKSCAUG
  • 2018 Winner - Lower River Grand Valley Development Council
  • 2019 Winner - Chris Mask, Visual Lease Services
  • 2020 Winner - Lydia Sauceda
  • 2022 Winner - Andrew Berens, Lousiana Department of Health

Thumbs Up Awards

The Thumb's Up award shall be given on an annual basis at the Regional SCAUG Conference. This award will be presented to a single person or agency, from the Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi that has been a friend to the Association by donating significant time and/or resources - going above and beyond normal expectations.

  • 2008 Winner - John Samuel
  • 2009 Winner - City of McKinney
  • 2010 Winner - Rio Grande Valley Arc User Group
  • 2011 Winner - Abigail Bush
  • 2012 Winner - Lower Rio Grand Valley Development Council (LRGVDC)
  • 2013 Winner - Jim Steil , MARIS
  • 2014 Winner - Jessica Reyna, Lower Rio Grand Valley Development Council
  • 2015 Winner - Scott Trapolino, Desoto County GIS
  • 2016 Winner - Pamela Jurney, Cross Timbers Consulting
  • 2017 Winner -  Betsi Chatham, City of Grapevine, TX
  • 2018 Winner - David Allen, Texas Emergency GIS Response Team
  • 2019 Winner - Bill Hodge, GISP - GIS Certification Institute
  • 2020 Winner - Lt. Ronald Vaughn, Dallas Fire and Rescue
  • 2022 Winner - NewEdge Services, LLC

SCAUG is a not for profit organization dedicated to benefit users of ESRI’s geographic information software | Founded in 1990 | © SCAUG 2019 |

South Central Arc Users Group

P.O. Box 96

Ardmore, OK 73402

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