The amendment to the MAPPS bylaws redefines the requirements for membership in MAPPS, which over the past 8 years has strategically expanded to include firms in the broader geospatial data and geographic information systems profession.

"This amendment is a realization of the growth in MAPPS and recognition of the fact that MAPPS has attracted a wide spectrum of firms in recent years, just as the make-up of the geospatial profession has changed," said MAPPS President Marvin Miller of AERO-METRIC, Inc., Maple Grove, MN.

"MAPPS was established 25 years ago to represent the private photogrammetric mapping and aerial photography profession and since its creation in 1982, the mapping profession has grown to include geospatial technologies, remote sensing, data integration, GIS development, web mapping, and a variety of other data collection and application activities. The current MAPPS membership reflects this change in the community, and it was time for our bylaws to be changed to also reflect the current state of the market, our current membership and our future membership growth," Miller added.

"We received feedback from prospective new members that the definition in our bylaws led some to believe that in order to be a member of MAPPS, a firm needed to be involved in photogrammetry. I am pleased the membership approved the Board-recommended bylaws change that not only serves to recognize the broader spectrum of geospatial firms that MAPPS currently represents, but also clearly provides a home in MAPPS for all private sector geospatial firms," he said.

The by-laws change is effective immediately. It redefines the types of firms that are eligible for full MAPPS membership, as well as associate and emeritus members.

The membership levels are defined as:

Active Member: Any firm whose home office is located in the United States of America and is engaged in the geospatial profession. "Engaged in the geospatial profession" means any private, for-profit organization where one of its purposes is the creation, collection, dissemination and application of geo-referenced graphical or digital data to depict natural or manmade physical features, phenomena, or boundaries of the earth, geospatial intelligence, and any information related thereto, including any such data that comprises a survey, map, chart, geographic information system, remotely sensed satellite or aerial image or data.

Associate member: Any firm engaged in the manufacturing and/or supplying of geospatial equipment, services, supplies, hardware or software, that supports but is not engaged in the geospatial profession, any firm not engaged in but with an interest in the geospatial field, and any firm meeting the definition of "Engaged in the geospatial profession" whose home office is located outside of the United States of America may become an associate member.

Emeritus Member: Any individual who has been an officer of a firm which has been an active, associate or sustaining member firm for at least the preceding five consecutive years, who has reached the age of 60 years, who has retired from such firm and is no longer engaged in a full time practice in the geospatial profession may become an Emeritus Member.

The vote occurred on Monday, July 16, 2007 during the annual membership business meeting of MAPPS held during the association's 25th anniversary conference in Bretton Woods, NH.

"Just as the geospatial community has evolved over the past 25 years, so has the MAPPS membership. These by-law revisions providing new membership definitions are not a change as much as a codification of the diversity of membership that we have been experiencing and implementing. These definitions should make a wide variety of private geospatial firms feel welcome as new members of MAPPS," said John Palatiello, MAPPS Executive Director.

About MAPPS

Formed in 1982 and currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of the association, MAPPS has expanded in size and scope to become the only national association exclusively comprised of private firms in the spatial data and geographic information systems field in the United States. Current MAPPS memberships spans the entire spectrum of the geospatial community, including Member Firms engaged in satellite and airborne remote sensing, surveying, photogrammetry, aerial photography, hydrography, charting, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS, and GIS data collection and conversion services. MAPPS also includes Associate Members, which are companies that provide hardware, software, products and services to the geospatial profession in the United States and other firms from around the world. MAPPS provides its members opportunities for networking and developing business-to-business relationships, information sharing, education, public policy advocacy, market growth, and professional development and image enhancement. For more information on MAPPS, please visit www.MAPPS.org.