2022 came and went in a flash. After returning from the holidays, we wanted to take the opportunity to reflect and highlight all the eventful and newsworthy happenings over the past twelve months. It was a fast-paced year of growth for GEO Jobe, with new product update releases, new hires, conferences, awards, and charitable donations.
Product Updates
Last year the “A” in the ABCs of GIS received an upgrade. GEO Jobe released version 2.0 of Admin Tools, our flagship product, with a facelift and some new solutions. The ABCs of GIS represent our most valuable and effective combination of solutions for ArcGIS Administrators. Over 9,000 organizations worldwide have taken advantage of these applications to improve their workflows and increase productivity. Our ABCs of GIS solution includes:
- A – Admin Tools for ArcGIS (Pro & Enterprise Versions) – Perform streamlined operations in bulk across your organization’s items, users, and groups.
- B – Backup My Org – Backup and restore solution, which also includes migrating ArcGIS items, users, and groups.
- C – Clean My Org – A robust on-demand and scheduled scanner to identify, report, and address problematic issues and clutter within your ArcGIS organization.
We also saw several updates released last year for all three administrative solutions, introducing new functionality and bug fixes. Below are the updates released in 2022 for each product.
- Admin Tools: Update 2.0, Update 2.1, and Update 2.1.1
- Backup My Org: Update 1.2.1 and Update 1.3
- Clean My Org: Update 1.5
User feedback is key in focusing our efforts on new updates and bug fixes. Have an idea for new functionality you would like to see? Have a question about a workflow or process? Reach out to us through chat support on our website or at connect@geo-jobe.com.
New Hires & Promotions
Last year GEO Jobe continued to grow, so much so that the company grew by one-third and is projecting many more to come in 2023. Below, see the faces that joined us in 2023. We are happy to have such talented individuals on our team!
In addition to bringing on several new hires, our team saw internal growth and development as well. Two of our veteran employees, Danny Menikheim and Eric Goforth, were promoted to Vice President roles. Danny is now the VP of Operations, and Eric is the VP of Products and Services. Danny and Eric have become valuable members of GEO Jobe, where they provide guidance and leadership.
Conferences
Attending conferences and creating connections with the broader GIS community is always a highlight of the year, and last year was no exception. With 2022’s Esri Partner Conference, DevSummit, and UC being in person, we had the opportunity to connect with users we had not seen in a few years. Additionally, our staff had a chance to make new connections and share our products and services with the GIS Community.
Last fall, we were delighted to attend a couple of conferences, including the Mississippi Geospatial Conference (MGC) and Esri’s Infrastructure Management and GIS Conference (IMGIS). It was great getting back into the swing of things and engaging with our local GIS communities. Here are some highlights from each event:
- MGC: As a business with deep roots in the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we were excited to maintain our status as a sponsor for the MGC and help bring together Mississippi’s geospatial community. During this conference, we hosted a booth and provided exciting presentations from several of our staff. These included Christian Patton with “An Introduction to GIS Automation”, Randee Miller with “Taking Airports to New Heights with ArcGIS StoryMaps”, and Reed Davis discussing “Vertical Asset Inspection: Creating Intelligent Digital Twins.”
- Esri’s IMGIS: This conference featured users from all infrastructure sectors that utilize, or are looking to utilize, the power of GIS in their operations. We hosted a booth at this conference which provided valuable opportunities to connect and engage with the infrastructure-focused GIS community.
Looking to 2023, we can’t wait to connect with you all at upcoming conferences. We will attend Esri’s Federal GIS conference in February and their Partner Conference and DevSummit in March.
Awards
GEO Jobe received the ArcGIS Adaption Award at the 2022 Esri Partner Conference (EPC) held in Palm Springs, California. This award was presented to us for demonstrating highly-aligned solutions built with the ArcGIS system. As our Chief Executive Officer stated at the time, “We are so very proud to be recognized for our continued highly aligned development of solutions supporting ArcGIS. This recognition highlights the strength of our partnership with Esri and our shared commitment to the success of our mutual customers and the wider geospatial industry as a whole.” This sentiment still holds true today.
GEO Jobe was recognized as a Cornerstone Partner at the 2022 EPC. This acknowledgment was presented to GEO Jobe for our long-term commitment to Esri and the GIS community. Cornerstone Partner recognition is given to organizations that have participated in the Esri Partner Network (EPN) for 20 years while demonstrating a consistent focus on helping customers succeed through adopting ArcGIS technology.
We are very grateful for the recognition we received in the year 2022. We look forward to what 2023 has in store as we continue to develop solutions to support ArcGIS and grow as an Esri Partner.
Charitable Donations & Sponsorships
Last year GEO Jobe invested in its community by sponsoring and donating to local programs and organizations. At GEO Jobe, we pride ourselves in being able to give back by increasing tech opportunities and bolstering communities in Mississippi.
GEO Jobe sponsored the Pink Diamonds Robotics team of Gulfport Middle School for the second year in a row. Our sponsorship gives their team the opportunity to grow in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
GEO Jobe gave a second donation to the Mississippi Coding Academy. These funds will be allocated to support efforts and technology for their expanded second cohort of students. The first class graduated in August of 2022, and we recently hired two graduates from that program. We look forward to seeing the talent that comes out of the second class and wish them success in their chosen career paths. This second investment on behalf of GEO Jobe symbolizes the continued support of a mutually beneficial relationship with us and the future of graduating students from the MS Coding Academy.
For more information about sponsoring, partnering with, or attending the MS Coding Academy, please visit their website or contact Patrick Mame directly at patrickmame@usm.edu
GEO Jobe also donated to The Back Bay Mission. This donation of $10,000 on behalf of GEO Jobe supports our investment into the Mississippi Gulf Coast to help impoverished individuals get the food, housing, and education they need to transform their lives. Our financial contributions strengthen the community by giving the less fortunate a fighting chance to change course and get the help they need for a better life and future.
For more information about donating, partnering with, or attending fundraising events, please visit their website at https://thebackbaymission.org or contact Laura Payne Breeland directly at lpayne@thebackbaymission.org
New Technologies
In 2022, we saw an array of updates and new products from Esri. The introduction of several new technologies and the retirement of others provided the opportunity for the GIS community to grow even more. Below are a few major updates that stood out to us:
- ArcGIS Pro 3.0: In June 2022, ArcGIS Pro 3.0 was released and this version is loaded with enhancements! Python 3.9 is now compatible with ArcGIS Pro and there have been changes made to the managed Conda environment, which is now Package Manager. Users can now add a map to their reports, which will help improve the impact these documents have. The new Color Vision Simulator gives users the opportunity to see how their maps will look to someone with a color vision deficiency, sometimes referred to as color blindness. There are so many other amazing updates in this latest release of ArcGIS Pro; if you want to find out more, check out their recent video here.
- ArcGIS Enterprise 11.0: In July 2022, ArcGIS Enterprise 11.0 was released to eligible users worldwide. With this major version number increase, we saw numerous enhancements and functionality. One of the biggest changes was the removal of the ArcMap-based runtime. This means that only ArcGIS Pro-based runtime will be included from here on out. For those upgrading to 11.0, it may be possible to do so using Esri’s ArcGIS Enterprise Builder. Read more about this tool here to see if you are eligible. Portal users saw new enhancements to the interface, as well as new functionalities, including new layer effects, pop-up improvements, the ability to create charts, hierarchical categories for portal members, new member privileges, and more! GEO Jobe facilitated the migration/upgrade for many of our clients to ArcGIS 11.0 and can help your organization as well, contact us at connect@geo-jobe.com for more info!
- ArcGIS Field Maps: As of November 1st, 2022, Esri’s mobile applications Collector, Tracker, and Explorer have been retired and are no longer available in the app store. Esri’s all-in-one mobile application, ArcGIS FieldMaps, is now the go-to mobile application! Released last year, ArcGIS Field Maps now supports Utility Network for iOS and Android platforms. There were several enhancements made to Field Maps, which you can read about here.
- ArcGIS Instant Apps: Esri released several enhancements and new features to their ArcGIS Instant apps. These include filters for the My Apps tab, the Choose map window, the capability to copy your app, and more! Some enhancements and new features that stood out include the ability to select records from a table and export them to CSV and the new Insets app.
- Experience Builder: Last year, there were serveral releases that added new features and enhancements to Experience Builder. Some of the major updates of 2022 include:
- the ability to reset filters and display search results in a separate window
- new chart functionality
- the ability to save a route layer to your content in ArcGIS Online
- and the Print widget!
If you have never used Experience Builder, check out our article for a beginner’s guide. Looking to use Map Viewer and Experience Builder to turn your maps around? Check out our other article on how to do that here.
Last year came with plenty of other new technologies throughout the GIS world. What are some of the favorites you’ve adopted and are still using? What are you looking forward to exploring further in 2023? Let us know on Twitter!
Closing out 2022, Onward to 2023
We enjoyed taking time to reflect on the year and starting 2023 on the right foot. With continued growth for GEO Jobe and the geospatial industry, we look forward to exploring what lies ahead together.
