Recognizing Extraordinary Contributions

Each year, GPN recognizes members for their contributions to the association and the community at large. Check out the descriptions of each award and thoughtfully consider the individuals who have made an impact on the association.

Horwood Distinguished Service Award
An occasional award given for long-term service to GPN/URISA and the profession. This award is the association's ultimate award for service and leadership to GPN/URISA and within the geospatial industry. Awardees will have demonstrated significant contributions to both the association and the geospatial technologies industry. The Horwood Distinguished Service Award is named after founding member and first URISA President, Edgar Horwood. Horwood was an early pioneer in the field of information systems for local government and admired by all for his intellectual and organizational contributions to URISA. Horwood was the Chair of the constitutional drafting committee, giving URISA the "open membership" model that has led to our inter-disciplinary organization. 

2025 Recipient: Thomas Fisher

Horwood Distinguished Service Award Recipient History

Nominate a fellow member for a Horwood Distinguished Service Award by July 1

Leadership Award
Presented to members who have demonstrated exemplary leadership to GPN/URISA, creativity, innovation, and dedicated support of its programs. The recipient should be a member of GPN/URISA for enough years to show a pattern of leadership. Typically the recipient will have been responsible for new programs or activities, or significantly enhanced an existing activity or program, so that it takes the association in a new direction and/or enhances our standing in the professional community.
  

2025 Recipients: Judy Colby-George & Sid Pandey

Leadership Award Recipient History

Nominate a fellow member for a Leadership Award by July 1

Service Award
Presented to members who have demonstrated faithful service to GPN/URISA and participation in its program over a period of several years. This award is for specific service to the association. It should require a significant number of years of (not necessarily consecutive) service in a number of programs or committees, and a willingness to take on challenges without regard to the potential for recognition.
  

    2025 Recipients: Kristin Johnston, Carley Fitzgerald, Rachel Frojen, Heather Studley, Tim Nolan, Jami Dennis, Greg Mattis

Service Award Recipient History

Nominate a fellow member for a URISA Service Award by July 1

Barbara Hirsch Special Service Award
Presented to members or staff who have made special contributions to URISA. This award was created (in 2004) to honor URISA’s former Chief Financial Officer, Barbara Hirsch. Barb made her mark at URISA by being an exceptional professional who would always step forward when a point needed to be made, but never stepped to the front for recognition. It is in the spirit of this dedication that the Board of Directors has created an award for special service. This award will be given to individuals or committees who have shown a similar consummate level of service to GPN/URISA through an ongoing commitment to our success as an organization.

2025 Recipients: Matthew Gerike, Danielle Giza

Special Service Award Recipient History

Nominate a fellow member for a Special Service Award by July 1

Outstanding Chapter Award

Each year, GPN/URISA recognizes an outstanding Chapter that has sponsored particularly effective activities or has otherwise excelled in serving its membership. Outstanding Chapter Award criteria include:

Innovation
Outreach
Education
Community Impact

2025 Recipient: Texas Chapter 

Outstanding Chapter Award Recipient History

Young Professional of the Year
The Leadership Development Committee selects the Young Professional of the Year to recognize outstanding contributions as part of GPN's Vanguard Cabinet.

The Vanguard Cabinet (VC) is a GPN/URISA initiative which debuted in 2011 to engage young GIS practitioners (35 and under), increase their numbers in the organization, and better understand the concerns facing these future leaders of the GIS community. The Cabinet’s mission is to collaborate with the Board of Directors and Committees in creating and promoting programs and policies of benefit to young professionals. Comprised entirely of passionate young members selected from different geospatial disciplines, the Cabinet aims to position GPN/URISA as the center of opportunities for creative young professionals who are committed to improving GPN/URISA and the geospatial profession via innovation, collaboration, networking, and professional development.

2025 Recipient: Ethan McGhee

Young Professional of the Year Award Recipient History

Dr. Marilyn O'Hara Ruiz Young Professional Scholarship
GPN/URISA established the Dr. Marilyn O'Hara Ruiz Young Professional Scholarship program which selects up to two young professionals (35 years old or younger) to attend GIS-Pro in-person. The participants in this program will have the opportunity to attend a one-of-a-kind geospatial super-event and experience cross-discipline sessions covering the most up to date and emerging GIS technologies, processes and applications, strengthen professional connections through networking with key association and industry leaders, and connect with and get involved in local, national and international initiatives and activities, all while obtaining valuable professional/continuing education credits.

2025 scholarship winners: Harit Shah and Garner (GiGi) Hancock

Scholarship Recipient History

2026 applications are due on or by June 2. Learn more here.