REDLANDS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, today announced that its founder and president Jack Dangermond received the royal Dutch decoration, Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau. Jan Hamming, Mayor of Zaanstad, awarded the accolade to Dangermond on behalf of King Willem-Alexander.
The decoration was bestowed upon Dangermond in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to the national and international GIS community. The establishment of Esri in 1969 paved the way for the introduction of digital mapping and analyses thanks to the development of ArcGIS software. In 1985, the Dutch national planning service (RPD) in the north-eastern city of Zwolle was the first to use ArcGIS, a milestone that was to be followed by more than a thousand other organizations.
“The Netherlands have been a forward-thinking country in the field of GIS, and this recognition is a sincere honor,” said Laura Dangermond, Esri co-founder. “As one of our oldest international customers, Jack is proud to support the nation’s innovative goals.”
Alongside his involvement in making Dutch organizations more successful by sharing knowledge, Dangermond is also deeply committed to global social issues such as climate change, support for less developed regions around the world, and education.
While it is unusual that a royal Dutch decoration is awarded to a person living abroad, Dangermond’s worldwide work and the special bond he has always maintained with The Netherlands is a distinctive combination. An American citizen, Dangermond’s family emigrated from The Netherlands to California, and some still live in The Netherlands.
“I wish my parents could be here to see this,” said Dangermond. “Everything I know about running Esri successfully, I owe to what they taught me when I worked in their plant nursery, and being mindful about nurturing plants, as well as supporting customers. It is humbling to accept this honor in the country my father once called home.”
The presentation of the royal decoration to Dangermond took place on April 2 in Zaandam, immediately after he had spoken at the Geospatial World Forum.
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