REDLANDS, Calif.-- The ESRI Southeast Regional User Group (SERUG) Conference will bring together more than 500 geographic information system (GIS) software users April 26-28, 2010, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 Participants will discuss using geospatial technology to address today's issues and get guidance from peers and ESRI staff with varied specialties. The 2010 SERUG early bird savings registration deadline is January 22.

The conference offers a Plenary Session and Keynote Address, breakout sessions, technical sessions, lightning talks, a Map Gallery, ESRI Solutions EXPO, Special Interest Group meetings, postconference training, and networking events. "The user-to-user communication helps tremendously," says Daniel Johns, GIS analyst, Clay County Utility Authority, Florida.

Lisa Tillman, GIS analyst, St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) GIS Division, Florida, says, "All the technical sessions I attended [at the last conference] gave me an abundance of knowledge and insight into the topic being covered. I gained from each session something that I can apply to everyday use."

"SERUG is the way to conveniently and cost-effectively stay connected and updated on everything geospatial," says Mike Dyer, southeast state and local government manager, ESRI. "It's a great forum for knowledge and skill building; you do a lot of comparing and collaborating on how to make the most of different tools."

Tripp Corbin, vice president of GIS/IT, Keck & Wood, Inc., Georgia, says, "It was great seeing how users are integrating new server and mobile technologies."

Attendees are invited to participate in the conference by presenting a paper or lightning talk or submitting a map showing how they're successfully applying GIS. Abstracts for user presentations and lightning talks are due January 8. Map Gallery submissions are due April 2.

Users can learn more about the conference, participation, and registration at www.esri.com/serug.

About ESRI

Founded in 1969, ESRI (www.esri.com) is the world leader in the GIS software industry. ESRI offers innovative solutions that help users create, manage, analyze, and display information to make timely decisions and solve problems they encounter every day. ESRI's comprehensive product line ranges from desktop GIS to GIS for the enterprise.