GEOINT 2023 Showcases St. Louis' Geospatial Strength, GSL, SLDC Represent St. Louis, In Las Vegas, St. Louis-Based WWT Expands In New York
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GEOINT SYMPOSIUM 2023 SHOWCASES ST. LOUIS’ GEOSPATIAL STRENGTH
Playing host to USGIF GEOINT Symposium for the second time in under two years, this week St. Louis put on display not only the strength of its geospatial ecosystem, but also the capacity it has added to help geospatial companies meet their mission, reinforcing its place as the nation’s center of geospatial technology. The symposium brought thousands of the world’s geospatial community members — and its top leaders — to St. Louis.
“Since the geospatial community was last in St. Louis for GEOINT Symposium, we’ve added the Taylor Geospatial Institute, the Downtown North innovation district, 75,000 square feet of multi-tenant SCIF space, talent and workforce development programs, attracted hundreds of new jobs and new employers, and more,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc., a USGIF Strategic Partner. "Having the international geospatial community here again allowed us the opportunity to show them all the ways St. Louis has become the nation’s center for geospatial technology.”
ST. LOUIS-FOCUSED PANEL ILLUSTRATES NGA’S TALENT STRATEGY
St. Louis stepped onto the global stage Tuesday morning, when a panel of regional and geospatial leaders discussed the development of STEM and geoint talent in underserved and underrepresented communities as a matter of national security. GSL CEO Jason Hall moderated the panel that included Zekita Armstrong-Asuquo, President and CEO of Gateway Global American Youth Business Alliance, Patty Hagen, Executive Director of T-REX, and Tonya Wilkerson, Deputy Director of the NGA.
More than 1,000 GEOINT attendees saw St. Louis at its very best Tuesday night at the STLMade Party on the Plaza, an event hosted in part by Greater St. Louis, Inc. and GSL Chair’s Council members GDIT and Esri, at Kiener Plaza in Downtown. Open to all symposium attendees, the event featured live music, entertainment, and local food trucks, all beneath the iconic Gateway Arch and the Old Courthouse. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of planners and local leaders, the event represented a successful and safe Downtown activation.
NGA Director Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth announced that the Agency will change the name of its facility here from NGA West to NGA-St. Louis, saying the name change is about being more ingrained in the community. The new name will apply to NGA’s current facility south of Downtown St. Louis and transfer to the new 97-acre campus north of Downtown, to which NGA’s 3,000 employees will move in late 2025 or 2026. Whitworth also announced that the NGA facility in Arnold, Missouri, will now be known as “NGA-Arnold.”
Esri, a member of the GSL Investor Council, is opening a new office in the Globe Building Downtown, part of the Downtown North Innovation District. “I think St. Louis offers something special in the way that they’ve organized in the Cortex and at the Globe of bringing companies of similar interests together into these shared spaces,” said Patty Mims, Director of Global National Government at Esri. “It even more strongly creates a community. I wish other cities would do it.”
Greater St. Louis, Inc. joined together with St. Louis Development Corporation this week to represent Downtown St. Louis for the first time at ICSC Las Vegas, a global convention driving innovation in spaces where consumers shop, dine, work, play, and gather. The goal? To show the world that Downtown St. Louis has real momentum, powered by a mix of announced public and private investments with a value of more than $2.2 billion.
ST. LOUIS-BASED WWT EXPANDS ITS NATIONAL FOOTPRINT
St. Louis-based World Wide Technology, an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s Council, is expanding, this spring opening its second office in Manhattan. Founded by Chairman Dave Steward, WWT is the region’s second-largest privately held company with more than 9,000 employees worldwide.
Gabriel Gore, a former federal prosecutor and partner at Dowd Bennet LLP, an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s council, has been tapped to replace St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner. Gore was selected to the office by Missouri Governor Mike Parson. “It’s a new day in public safety for St. Louis, and we applaud Governor Parson for appointing Gabe Gore as Circuit Attorney,” said GSL CEO Jason Hall.
ST. LOUIS EARNS THE TOP SPOT FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Based on data for more than 900,000 organizations in each state and major cities, small business lending company OnDeck has ranked St. Louis as a hotbed for women’s entrepreneurial activity. The St. Louis metro has the country's highest proportion — 24.84% — of female-owned businesses, more proof that women here can find success as entrepreneurs.
This week, nearly 2,000 St. Louis-based Purina employees took part in the company’s 22nd annual Purina Cares Day, a workday devoted to community service. Employees worked everywhere from Ferguson to Downtown to 22 different pet welfare and social service nonprofit agencies across the St. Louis metro. Nestle Purina Petcare Company is an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s Council.
A new publication celebrates the progress being made along Delmar Boulevard. “Delmar United” offers a biannual look at the corridor’s successes and how recent developments are quickly bringing a new future to reality for its residents and stakeholders.
TOWER GROVE PROJECT FINALIST FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARD
The international Urban Land Institute has chosen Tower Grove Park’s East Stream Restoration project as one of its top 20 finalists in its 2023 Americas Awards for Excellence, one of the most prestigious awards programs in the real estate industry. Tower Grove Park is a GSL Investor Council member.
Sisters Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon founded Golden Gems to uplift, inspire, and help people feel seen. Their products are now found in their three St. Louis-area locations and around the country.
