What is Geomatics Industry Association of America's Purpose? GIA was originally formed to provide manufacturers of various types of surveying systems an opportunity to address issues relating to marketing and statistical information, manufacturer-distributor and customer relations, federal specifications and procurement, and liaison with domestic and international professional societies. Technology is changing surveying No longer does the traditional surveying equipment meet all the needs of today's market. To keep up with this shift, members of the GIA discussed these issues and concluded that manufacturers and suppliers need to take a leadership role in building a strong, healthy industry for the future. They developed a new vision statement and the new name, Geomatics Industry Association of America. The New GIA GIA is an organization of manufacturers, suppliers, and distribution partners, encompassing the present and emerging technologies which address customer needs in surveying, GPS, engineering, construction, GIS/LIS and related fields by providing leadership in training and education to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their related business. How can you benefit from joining the GIA? The unique value of an industry group such as GIA is that it is a legal forum to accomplish things as a group that cannot be done on an individual basis. For example: *Sales Statistics - The members of the GIA submit their sales data quarterly to an outside accounting firm which handles the information in total confidentiality and then receive a composite report of the data. The products covered in the present report are: • automatic levels • barcoded digital levels • motorized total stations • electronic theodolites • integrated electronic theodolite EDM unit • add-on/mount-on electronic distance meter • survey grade GPS receivers • data recorders/collectors Both dollar value and the number of units sold are reported in each category and compared to the previous year. As other companies representing GPS, software, lasers or other fields join the association, new markets and product lines can be surveyed and reported to those interested parties. * Workshops - Throughout the years the Group has sponsored workshops during the ACSM Spring Conventions. The workshops are designed to educate the surveyor in a non-commercial, generic manner so surveyors can use their instrumentation more productively. These sessions also allow interaction with the surveying community in a professional setting. * Meetings - Several times a year, the membership meets during ACSM or other industry convention so members can discuss items of common interest, address industry issues and determine future group activities. * Education - As part of the new GIAA, the group has initiated two bi-monthly colums in the trade press. One column covers "How Things Work" and the other is in the form of a Q&A dialog. In both cases they cover the full range of survey instruments, accessories, data collectors, software and radio systems for data transmission.