Show-Me State Times

Mark Munsell, a veteran in the geospatial industry and former executive at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), has been appointed as the Project Lead for GeoFutures. This initiative by Greater St. Louis, Inc. aims to position St. Louis as a global center for geospatial technology.

Dustin Allison, Interim CEO for GSL, expressed confidence in Munsell's leadership: “St. Louis is a thriving geospatial community where this year we’ll get to celebrate the opening of NGA St. Louis and are showcasing our emergence as a national hub for defense tech,” he said. “As our geospatial ecosystem enters its next phase of growth, we are extremely fortunate to have Mark Munsell lead our efforts.”

Munsell himself is enthusiastic about his new role: “As a St. Louis native, I cannot think of anything more important than working with the community to bring new emphasis to job growth, startups, and capital investment," he stated.

The geospatial sector in St. Louis has seen significant development recently, partly due to the expansion of NGA facilities in the area. The Taylor Geospatial Institute was established as a premier research institution focusing on new applications for geospatial science.

Furthermore, several educational institutions have developed programs aimed at expanding the talent pool for this industry in St. Louis.

Cross-sector collaboration opportunities with other regional industries like agtech and biosciences are increasing. Additionally, legislation such as the National Geospatial Innovation Hub Advancement Act supports these developments by aiming to make St. Louis a center for defense technology.

Before joining GeoFutures, Munsell served as Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at NGA and held various technical roles throughout his career in both government service and private enterprise.

Munsell's achievements include receiving numerous awards such as the Presidential Rank Award and NGA’s Distinguished Civilian Medal.

For further details about GeoFutures' initiatives or updates from Mark Munsell's team, interested parties can visit their official website or social media platforms.