Mark Reichardt's blog

Successful Ninth session of the UN-GGIM

The 9th session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was held at the UN headquarters in New York on the 7th-9th of August. ISO/TC 211, the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) participate jointly as Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) supporting the Committee. Led by United Nations Member States, UN-GGIM aims to address global challenges regarding the use of geospatial information. Much focus is now on developing an Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF) that Member States can use to develop and enhance their own geospatial management, capabilities, and programs.

Transitioning from my role as President and CEO

After almost 18 years with OGC, 14 years as President, I plan to transition to part-time work with OGC early next year. In my new capacity, I will focus on strategic opportunity development in the areas of membership value and growth, and the advancement of key programs and initiatives in support of OGC’s technology and marketplace priorities.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as OGC’s President and CEO, and I am honored to have been able to serve the geospatial and standards communities in this capacity. This transition is something that I have carefully considered for some time, and I believe that it is time for new leadership to help take OGC to the next step in its evolution.

2015 The Year in Summary – 2016 The Year Ahead

As we enter the New Year, I want to take this opportunity to summarize some of the accomplishments of the Consortium over the past 12 months, and to provide you with insight into some of the activities envisioned or already underway for 2016. 

2015 proved to be a productive year for the OGC. OGC members advanced a range of new and revised standards and associated best practices of value to the community. Accomplishments include:

Information Sharing and Safeguarding – Collaboration is the Key

When it comes to advancing information sharing and interoperability within and between organizations, jurisdictions, and geographies, collaboration across the public and private sectors is relied upon to help provide answers through a combination of technology, best practices and standards. Professional associations and standards development organizations (SDOs) are continually finding ways to reach across their mission boundaries to drive coordinated outcomes that benefit users nationally and internationally.  While the alliance

Remembering Cliff Kottman

As we celebrate OGC’s 20 year anniversary, with great sadness we learned that Cliff Kottman passed on Wednesday 26 March 2014 after a long illness. Cliff was brilliant, creative, deeply analytic and just as wise and sensitive to others as he was smart. He was a great teacher. Even before the OGC came into existence, he contributed to the development of the OGC vision, and he had the ability to put the rather complex vision of geospatial interoperability in easy to understand terms.  Those who remember Cliff may recall his many white papers on the subject and his famous

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