Connecting at the Annual Meeting & Social
Last week, IMIA members around the globe joined us virtually to celebrate this year’s successes, vote on the new board slate, look ahead to what to expect in 2026, and have some fun!
The event began with a shout-out to our 22 new members in 2025, followed by a recap of our events, and then a celebration of those who have won IMIA awards throughout the year. We were honored to present the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to Mark Cygan of Esri, who has been a long-standing, loyal supporter of IMIA.
IMIA conducted official business with the approval of changes to the bylaws, which included an increase in the number of board seats per region and extending an advisory board member’s term if deemed appropriate.
Members also approved the 2026-2027 board slate. We are pleased to announce that the following board members are returning for another two-year term:
- Asia-Pacific: Mani Singh of NextByte Technologies
- Europe: Jethro Lennox of HarperCollins Publishing and Carl Rauch of Kompass Freytag & Berndt GmbH
- North America: Kevin Lance of National Geographic Maps and Tristan Lyttle of Avenza Systems, Inc.
Additionally, we welcome the following new members to the board for their first term starting in 2026:
NORTH AMERICA
Rebecca Bennett
Avenza Systems, Inc.
EUROPE
Chris Balic
Cordee Ltd.
EUROPE
Steve Burry
Dennis Maps Ltd.
Once the business session of the event concluded, we heard from our guest speaker, Evan Applegate, cartographer and host of the podcast Very Expensive Maps, as he made the case for four cartography rules for producing a good map.
Additionally, we asked members to bring a map that hides just enough detail to make the place a mystery for other members to try to guess in small groups during our breakout sessions.
Nominate Map Products for the Industry Choice Award!
IMIA is searching for the best map product that members have produced to showcase at the 2026 Mapping Leaders Forum in Toronto.
The IMIA Industry Choice Award celebrates an outstanding product in the field of cartography and geospatial representation. It aims to recognize innovative, impactful, and high-quality map products that demonstrate excellence in design, technique, communication, and relevance.
Accepting submissions through February 27, 2026.
Welcome New Members
Axis Maps is a creative team of web designers and developers that specializes in building interactive maps and geospatial problem-solving tools. We bring the traditions of cartography to the web. Learn more about Axis Maps.
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Cartovia is an independent map and travel-guide retailer offering one of the widest selections of printed maps, hiking guides, wall maps, globes, and travel accessories. We provide map publishers from around the world with a seamless platform to sell their products, backed by strong e-commerce expertise and fast, reliable fulfillment. Learn more.
Connect with Cartovia.com here >
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Member News
Stanfords Map of the Month
NOVEMBER
Publisher: MapSherpa (IMIA Member)
UK Topographic Map
This product provides Ordnance Survey mapping for your leisure activities and outdoor recreation pursuits. Create maps for anywhere in the United Kingdom from the popular OS Explorer and OS Landranger series.
NOVEMBER
Publisher: MapSherpa (IMIA Member)
UK Topographic Map
This product provides Ordnance Survey mapping for your leisure activities and outdoor recreation pursuits. Create maps for anywhere in the United Kingdom from the popular OS Explorer and OS Landranger series.
Upcoming IMIA Events
Map Industry Summit: London
March 9, 2026 | London, UK
A mini-conference on the eve of the London Book Fair for IMIA members and associates to gather, reflect on industry trends, and make connections. The aim of the afternoon is to build knowledge and foster collaboration in the industry. This session’s key topic will be Sustainability and will include valuable presentations and a speed networking event, followed by an industry social.
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📍 Mapping Uncertainty
Recognizing Challenges & Creating Opportunities
Rapid change is reshaping the mapping industry, creating both challenges and opportunities for progress. The Mapping Leaders Forum creates a platform for collaboration, bringing together diverse expertise from across the industry. By combining knowledge with innovation, business leaders will discover practical solutions that address real-world challenges, build resilience, and strengthen the role of mapping as a driver of clarity and progress in an uncertain world.
May 12: Amazing Race Around Toronto
May 13-14: Forum Day 1-2: Presentations, Panel discussions, Speed Networking, and more!
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Event sponsorships are now available. Registration for individual tickets is open.
Upcoming Industry Events
Geospatial World Forum
April 27-May 1, 2026 | Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Esri User Conference
July 13-17, 2026 | San Diego, CA, USA
Membership Information
IMIA Members — is your directory listing up to date?
A benefit of IMIA membership includes promoting your company in our digital Member Directory. This provides other members and industry colleagues with real-time information to create new partnerships to grow your business.
Visit the IMIA Member Directory page and search your company name to verify that your information is up-to-date. If you would like to make changes to your listing, please contact Alina Canca at [email protected]. Thank you!
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Call for Committee Participation
Do you want to get more involved with the IMIA? This is your chance to join one of our active committees: Events, Marketing or Membership & Sponsorship. Help us plan the 2026 calendar, assist with marketing efforts to showcase IMIA or strategize on membership growth to keep IMIA thriving.
If you are interested, please contact Donna De Marco at [email protected].
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We want to share your news! Send us your milestones, anniversaries, company announcements, upcoming events, or other news and we can help spread the word for you.
Disclaimer: IMIA does not sell, rent, or lease our contact data or lists to third parties, and we will not provide your personal information to any third party individual, company, or government agency at any time unless compelled to do so by law. Any emails or other notifications received stating otherwise are spam.
IMIA Annual Sponsors
