Susan Marlow, President, Smart Data Strategies, Inc., Franklin, Tennessee

"The Future of Cadastre"

In 1989, Susan founded SDS, Inc., which was originally located in the playroom of her home. This enabled her to build a business while spending time with her two young children. During those years, Susan wore all the SDS hats: sales, negotiations, production, and accounting. Originally, SDS's workload was subcontracted assignments, completing projects for other GIS companies. The workload gradually increased and then the city of Huntsville, Alabama signed a consulting, software, and parcel data conversion agreement with SDS-a huge undertaking for a one-person operation.

With a presence in over 20 states and counting, SDS has grown into an industry leader. Headquartered in the Nashville area, the SDS corporate office accommodate its 75-plus staff and state-of-the-art-training facilities.

Despite her success, Susan isn't content to rest on her laurels. "The GIS Industry is exciting and challenging at the same time," she explains. "The changing technology, coupled with the talented people in the business, make it fun and interesting." Susan remains at the helm of SDS and active in all its facets, but credits the company's success to the team effort of its talented staff and clients: "People are the company, as they define who the company is; your clients, however, are key to your success."

With her quick wit and engaging personality, Susan is often in demand as a guest speaker on both the state and national circuits.

Milton Denny, Vice President for Project Development, 3001, Inc., Sulphur, Louisiana

"LIDAR for the 21^st Century"

One of the many new tools available for capturing spatial data in the 21^st Century is LIDAR (LIght Detection and Ranging). This emerging technology, along with digital ortho-photos and remote sensor products, is the way engineers, environmentalist, and GIS experts prefer to receive spatial data for their projects. These data sets are used to develop Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and contour maps. The LIDAR data are used to delineate cultural features such as buildings, roadways, and wetlands for GIS systems; the data are also used to compile vegetative density and coverage data for environmental studies. The LIDAR tool was developed to be able to gather land surface information over large geographic areas at a high rate of speed very cost effectively. This presentation will detail how LIDAR data are collected and processed into the final deliverable digital product.

Mr. Denny has over forty years experience in the surveying and mapping field. He is a registered surveyor in five states and a veteran contract manager of many mapping projects. Currently he serves as a vice-president for project development for 3001, Inc. Among his other honors, Mr. Denny is a Fellow of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) and author of numerous publications. He is considered an expert in the application of new technology to surveying. His firm is a major provider of photogrammetric mapping and Geographic Information Systems. 3001, Inc. provides LIDAR data with the Aeroscan system, with data processing being performed using software developed in-house at 3001 over the last three years. Let Milton show you the tools of the future being provided today by 3001, Inc.

last update: April 4, 2001