Celebrating Innovation: Announcing the Winners of the 2025 GIS WebTech Technology Leadership Award

Several years ago, we launched the GIS WebTech Technology Leadership Award to honor economic developers who are redefining what's possible through innovative use of GIS technology. Since then, the pace of technological change in our field has been nothing short of extraordinary and economic developers across North America have risen to the challenge, pushing boundaries and setting new standards of excellence.

This year, the response was unprecedented. We received a record number of nominations showcasing visionary work, creative solutions, and measurable impact. The quality and breadth of submissions were so exceptional that, for the fourth year in a row, we're recognizing multiple winners.

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🌟 Congratulations to the 2025 GIS WebTech Technology Leadership Award Winners!

• MaryBeth Flournoy and the Economic Development Team at Norfolk Southern
• Ben McDaniel, Walton County Development Authority, Georgia
• Jennifer Storm, John Costilla, and the Team at Buda EDC, Texas

Each of these leaders has spearheaded initiatives that blend cutting-edge technology with bold strategy transforming how communities attract investment, support growth, and share their stories with the world.

What makes this year's group especially exciting is its diversity: Ben McDaniel represents a burgeoning Georgia county on the outskirts of Atlanta, Norfolk Southern is a Class 1 railroad spanning 22 states, and Buda, Texas is an emerging city experiencing rapid growth. This broad spectrum of winners-and their distinct use cases-demonstrates that advanced technology delivers value across every type of community, from small towns to national enterprises. It's a powerful message for every economic developer considering how technology can elevate their work.

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Honoring Outstanding Innovation

Because the field of innovation is thriving, we're also proud to recognize five Honorable Mentions for their outstanding contributions and creative use of GIS in economic development:

• Tasha Baker, Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC, Colorado
• Eric Terrazas, City of Waco, Texas
• Tyler Walsh, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Alabama
• Caleb Zaldana, City of Eastvale, California
• Eric Long, Greater Oklahoma City Regional Chamber, Oklahoma

Together, these trailblazers are shaping the future of economic development through technology, collaboration, and vision. Their leadership not only drives results today but also paves the way for smarter, more connected communities tomorrow.

Our winners join an impressive list of economic development peers who have won the award in prior years.

Year	Winner(s)
2019	Tim Duerr, Richland County (South Carolina)
2020	Lesli Crofford, Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Oklahoma)
2021	Tommy Kurtz, Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation (Texas)
2022	Kathryn Baird, City of Maple Ridge, (British Columbia) Shane Chadwick, Florida's Great Northwest (Florida) Tim Giuliani, Orlando Economic Partnership (Florida)
2023	Antony Burton, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (North Carolina) Melanie Moore, JAXUSA (Florida) Dat Nguyen, Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Oklahoma)
2024	Lisa Denton and Team, Kilgore Economic Development Corporation (Texas) Ryan Hall, Shoals Economic Development Authority (Alabama) Suvam Patel and Mike Razo, Riverside County (California)

Over the next several weeks, we will post a series of blogs highlighting the great work done by each of our three winners, so please check back regularly to learn more.