Annual Awards

George Donatello Lifetime Achievement Award

This award will recognize a member (or retired member) who has made significant contributions to KAM and to the mapping community over a period of fifteen or more years. Examples of their contributions could include active service on the executive board and/or KAM committees together with making presentations, recruiting new members, writing articles for the newsletter or other KAM/mapping publications and working to promote the mission/objectives of the Association.

Outstanding Mapping Project

This award will be presented to the agencies that had a unique mapping project or has made the greatest progress toward improving their mapping programs during the past year. This may have been through automation of these programs or developing / improving techniques for managing land information or expanding the programs to include multiple users. The agency (public or private) must be a KAM member or have employees who are members.

Prestigious Cartographer / GIS Professional

The Prestigious Cartographer / GIS Professional Award will be presented annually to the KAM member who has distinguished his or her self through cartographic and/or GIS achievements. This award will be presented to the KAM member who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession. This could include production of high quality maps exceeding specifications; usefulness of information contained within the maps and/or GIS data; stimulating or innovative cartographic or GIS practices within their jurisdiction.

Most Valuable KAM Member

This award will be presented to the KAM member who has made the most significant contributions to the Association during the past year. This may have been by increasing the membership, active participation as an elected officer or committee member, promotion of the Association through conferences and articles, or in other measurable ways advancing the mission and objectives of the Association.

Best PRinted MAsterpiece (KAM Conference)

A best printed map masterpiece could be a map that excels in cartographic design, artistic beauty, and practical usability. It might have:

• Stunning Visuals – Elegant typography, color harmony, and intricate details.

• High Accuracy – Precise geography, clear labeling, and useful data representation.

• Innovative Design – Unique themes, creative layouts, or artistic elements that make it stand out.

• High-Quality Printing – Sharp resolution, premium paper, maybe even special inks or embossing.

It could be anything from a historical reproduction to a modern city guide or even a fantasy map

Best Digital MAsterpiece (KAM Conference)

The ultimate combination of cutting-edge technology, stunning design, and seamless user experience. Unlike a printed map, it could include:

• Interactive Features – Zooming, layers, real-time data, and customizable views.

• High-Resolution Graphics – Crisp visuals with smooth rendering at any scale.

• Dynamic Updates – Live traffic, weather overlays, or constantly evolving geographic data.

• Intelligent Functionality – AI-driven recommendations, route optimizations, or augmented reality elements.

• Innovative Design – Aesthetically pleasing while being incredibly user-friendly.

Examples could be a beautifully designed GIS dashboard, or even an immersive fantasy world map with interactive storytelling elements.