Jack Dangermond
“Landscape Architecture and Landscape Architects have always immensely excited me. Landscape Architecture as a discipline is the only profession that integrates the sciences of our world with the power of design thinking. In many ways Landscape Architects are applied scientists. In their work they aspire to understand the context of a situation…considering all the factors; environmental, social, and economic, and then integrating this understanding into a creative design process to solve problems. Their work spans many scales; from local garden design to green infrastructure planning all the way to addressing global environmental challenges. In these challenging times, this discipline holds the promise of helping create a sustainable future. The role of Landscape Architects will become increasingly important and their impact on human behavior and the environment will be profound. From my perspective it is one of the most important professions of our time.”
A landscape architect by training, Jack Dangermond founded Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) in 1969 with a vision that computer mapping and analysis could help design a better future. Under Dangermond's leadership, that vision has continued to guide Esri in creating cutting- edge GIS and Geodesign technologies used in every industry to make a difference worldwide. Dangermond fostered the growth of Esri from a small research group to an organization recognized as the world leader in GIS software development. Esri employs more than 4,000 people worldwide; many who shared his passion for GIS in the early days are still with the company and remain dedicated to helping our users be successful.
Dangermond’s vision for Esri goes beyond building the leading GIS technology. He keeps the company mindful of global challenges and the needs of specific industries. The ongoing drive is to engineer ArcGIS to aggregate and integrate increasing quantities of data, to visualize and analyze the data to gain holistic understanding, and to help individuals and organizations make impactful evidence-based decisions.
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