<div dir="ltr"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.2836799775250256" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:medium;font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Greetings!</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The planning committee of the 2013 Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial North America (FOSS4G-NA) conference to be held May 22-24 in Minneapolis, MN is pleased to make the following announcements which were recently posted to our website at </span><a href="http://foss4g-na.org/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://foss4g-na.org</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">REGISTRATION</span><br>

<a href="https://foss4gna.eventbrite.com/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Registration is now open! </span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">  </span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Register by April 1, 2013</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> to get the Early Bird rate.</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">KEYNOTES</span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Two superb </span><a href="http://foss4g-na.org/keynote-speakers/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">keynote presentations</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> have been confirmed. More keynotes to be announced soon!</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Eric Gundersen, CEO, MapBox</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.  With big names converting from Google Maps to MapBox (USA Today, Foursquare, etc.), Eric will be discussing the business proposition/value of open source geo.</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Erek Dyskant, Sr. Analytics Engineer, Democratic National Committee</span><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. Whether you were happy or sad with the outcome of the recent election, they must have done something right!  Erek talk about how open source solutions were used to empower tacticians with geospatial data, and describe what drove the intentional choice of using open source.</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The </span><a href="http://foss4g-na.org/call-for-presentations"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Call for Presentations</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> is open until February 15, 2013. Do you have something great to show off?  We are looking for presentations, ignite talks, and panel suggestions. </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFBocHhBMTY3TUdjZ0RHSkdlTjB0S3c6MA#gid=0"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Submit</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> your abstract soon to be considered for this year’s event. Know of interesting work others have been doing that you want to hear more about? Urge them to </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFBocHhBMTY3TUdjZ0RHSkdlTjB0S3c6MA#gid=0"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">submit</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> an abstract!</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">SPONSORSHIP</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Help us throw a great event! Information for sponsors is </span><a href="http://foss4g-na.org/sponsor"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">now available</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. Of note this year is the Free Sponsor Day. Platinum and Gold level sponsors will receive a room on the third day of the conference to be able to present their own track. Admission on this day is free!</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">GALA</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">On Thursday, May 23rd we will be having a Gala event at the </span><a href="http://www.millcitymuseum.org/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mill City Museum</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> on the Mississippi River waterfront. Come to one of the original flour mills that made Minneapolis the nation’s largest milling center for decades. Along with dinner and drinks, the entire museum will be open for exploring.</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">DIVERSITY</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In an effort to foster a diversity of voices the community voting will be done in a "presenter anonymous" fashion. In other words, you will be voting for the topic and abstract content, not the potential presenter.  FOSS4G-NA is dedicated to a </span><a href="http://foss4g-na.org/harrassment-policy/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">harassment-free conference experience</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ROOM BLOCK</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A limited room block is available at the venue (</span><a href="https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=10414123"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Marriott City Center</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">).</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">CODE SPRINT</span><br>

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">There will be a code sprint concurrent with the sponsor day on May 24th. </span><a href="https://foss4gna.eventbrite.com/"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Registration</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> is free but required for the code sprint.</span></b><br clear="all">

<div><br></div></div>