[OSGeo-Discuss] Sandro Santilli receives the 2022 Sol Katz Award at FOSS4G 2022

[Astrid Emde (OSGeo)]

See News Item 2022-09-19: 
https://www.osgeo.org/foundation-news/sandro-santilli-receives-the-2022-sol-katz-award/
(sorry for the late announcement)

We are honoured to announce that Sandro Santilli is the recipient of the 
Sol Katz Award 2022.

Sandro Santilli was honoured with the 2022 Sol Katz Award, presented on 
26 August 2022 at FOSS4G 2022 in Firenze, Italy.

This was the 18th year of the award.

Sandro (aka strk) has been contributing to OSGeo and open source 
geospatial software for over 20 years in various ways. He is the chair 
of the GEOS steering committee, a long term core contributor to PostGIS 
and QGIS, and a mentor to many. Sandro also shapes and maintains OSGeo 
infrastructure as a volunteer on the OSGeo systems administration 
committee.

He is seen as a mentor and guide by his peers, always reminding us to 
look beyond the idea of software for free, and toward truly empowering 
the geospaital community through open source software:

“He is the nagging voice that reminds you that FOSS is about freedom to 
choose and putting the power of change in the users hands, and the 
dangers of settling for freeware instead of working toward a truly free 
alternative.”
– Regina Obe

Sandro also reminds us that open software and the OSGeo community is 
built, and maintained, by people who contribute to it:

“I don’t care if you use Free Software. I care if you contribute to Free 
Software!”
-Sandro Santilli, 2022 Sol Katz Award acceptance speech.

About the award
----------------------
The Sol Katz Award for Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial 
(FOSS4G) is awarded annually by OSGeo to individuals who have 
demonstrated leadership in the FOSS4G community. Recipients of the award 
have contributed significantly through their activities to advance open 
source ideals in the geospatial realm. The award acknowledges both the 
work of community members, and pay tribute to one of its founders, for 
years to come.
https://www.osgeo.org/community/awards/


On behalf of the OSGeo communities we congratulate and thank Sandro for 
his all his contributions.

Thank you Sandro

The Sol Katz Award Ceremony will soon be online. It will be linked in 
the news item.