Our beginnings were filled with discovery, commitment and opportunity.  Right from the outset we embraced the emerging discipline from the US, "Geographic Information Systems" (GIS).  It was during the late 70s that ESRI Australia came to be, starting with a small office in Perth.  We extended our devotion to GIS just before 1980 when we officially become the exclusive International Distributor for ESRI Inc. in Australia.

A sense of community
It was from the strong and solid commitment of a few at the beginning that we have grown to have offices throughout Australia, whilst maintaining the same level of care and sense of community.    As our community and industry has developed and grown, so have we.  Embracing changes in the market place and nurturing from within, we haven't forgotten where we came from. 

Our journey has seen a passionate team of GIS experts embrace this emerging technology.   Our history has established a solid foundation from which we have flourished, paving the way for staff to grow with the business and within the industry, with many staff returning as their paths lead back to ESRI Australia.

It is because of the sense of community that staff return, with a culture filled with enthusiasm, belief and passion of what we do being passed through to other staff, our clients and the community.  As in the beginning we have maintained our commitment, by actively listening and learning from one another and our clients' experiences.  These actions have shaped and fostered our long term relationships with clients, partners and the industry; our community. 

New owners
As time passed, evolution from within and outside the industry saw our next stage of progress occurred, with new owners opening the door for us to explore new opportunities.  Expansion took place with the Boustead board seizing the opportunity to promote from within; the new appointment would not only guide us during the next phase, but also beyond.  With a new leader came a clear vision, new energy and enthusiasm providing staff clients and the industry with the ability to grow.  It is during this time when a new initiative emerged, changing the way we worked and what we could offer to our community.  It was the first time that we really understood and clearly understood the value of Research & Development (R&D).  There had been attempts before to develop products but never at this scale. During this time, EView was established, and over time we would see this evolve into the next generation, to be known as "Dekho".  These initiatives would see us lead the way, providing clients and the industry with a new way of communicating and doing business.

GIS market changes
These years saw accelerated growth with internal opportunities revealed and the market changing.  GIS was evolving from being seen as purely a back office technology, expanding into other business units, across the enterprise and into main stream business.  Organisations were starting to use GIS as more than just a tool.  They wanted to have the power to see more and do more, and looked to us for not only the technology, but our requisite expertise, knowledge and vision, which helped  to make "possibility" their "reality".  This new approach was soon to be known, accepted and recognised as location intelligence. 

The pace of doing business has increased as has our agility, with our forward thinking and ability to be responsive to market changes affirming our position as the leader in the industry, which  continues to be maintained.  Our commitment to industry and our community extends beyond our government and commercial clients and industry organisations; it is the youth of today who will be tomorrow?s adopters of location intelligence.  For more than 10 years, we have fostered tomorrows users through our grassroots program "GIS in Schools", ensuring they are equipped with the skills needed to help develop and expand the industry in the years to come.

Evolution to location intelligence
Location intelligence is the next stage of the journey.  From our early beginnings, our forward thinking and commitment has provided us with the ability to forge ahead, embracing technology and business change.  This has enabled us to develop and foster staff, nurture our community and grow as a business. 

While there are still many roads to travel and challenges to face, the vision to have all organisations adopt location intelligence is at the heart of what we do and why we do it.  Our passion, agility and commitment to our community will ensure our vision will become a reality, continuing to enable people to "put knowledge into place" for many years to come.

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