Next up in the I am Hexagon Geospatial video series is Jason Sims, Chief Commercial Officer at Hexagon Geospatial. Jason has been fascinated by maps ever since he was a child and knew right from the beginning that he wanted to pursue a career in geography. Get to know more about Jason in this Q&A and check out his #MyGeoStory below.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I was a “military brat” as a kid which means I moved around a few times. I was born in Northern Virginia, then moved to Heidelberg, West Germany (when the country was divided), back to Northern Virginia, and then Huntsville, Alabama where I graduated from high school. Since then I’ve had the privilege of also living in North Carolina, Massachusetts, and the UK before settling in the Atlanta area.
Q: What did you study in school?
A: At James Madison University in Virginia, I studied Geography with a concentration in GIS and Technical & Scientific Communication.
Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: When I’m not working, I enjoy being outside and exploring the world with my wife and kids. I also like to keep active and enjoy CrossFit workouts, running and if there is a beach nearby and people to play with, volleyball.
Q: What’s the coolest project you’ve worked on during your time at Hexagon Geospatial?
A: This is a hard one, because there have been so many meaningful, exciting projects since I’ve joined Hexagon Geospatial. One of the first writing projects I worked on was a case study on a non-profit organization that was working with the U.N., using satellite imagery and ERDAS IMAGINE to determine human rights violations in the Darfur region of the Sudan. In the midst of unthinkable atrocities, it was powerful to see how our technology could be used to expose evidence to bring about justice. As Hexagon has continued to grow, I’ve also enjoyed leading some of our larger web, brand development, portfolio organization and messaging projects.
Q: What do you see happening in the future of geospatial?
A: Often, people misunderstand static maps for reality – when really they are simply a picture of the past. Static (standard) maps are always inaccurate – it is just a question of their level of inaccuracy. As our ability to integrate various sensors collecting live data continues to progress, our visualization experience becomes a true reflection of reality. As this experience also becomes simpler, and augmented with predictive analytics, I truly believe geospatial will be the driver for all decisions.
Q: What’s an interesting thing about you that you would like people to know?
A: I’ve backpacked the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine – and hope to connect all the pieces of the map one day!
Share your GeoStory with us! Remember to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube and use the hashtag #MyGeoStory to tell us how or why you started in the geospatial industry.
