 |
|
Photograph of Letitia Long, as the director of the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. By Unknown, employee of US Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
UrtheCast Corp. (TSX: UR) (“UrtheCast” or the “Company”) today announced the appointment of Letitia “Tish” Long, former director of the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, to its board of directors, effective February 23, 2015.
Ms. Long brings extensive experience in the intelligence and technology industries, most recently serving as the fifth Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) from 2010 to 2014. During her tenure at NGA, she led efforts to establish the agency’s first ‘Map of the World’, for intelligence users. Under her guidance, NGA became the first U.S. agency to adopt open-source software development to deliver its software to first responders for collaboration, during and after natural disasters. Prior to her appointment to NGA, Ms. Long served as the Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) from 2006 until 2010.
“We are delighted that Tish Long has agreed to become a board member, joining the UrtheCast team as it continues to provide commercial imagery for a global client base,” stated UrtheCast Chairman, Tye Burt. “Tish has built an unparalleled reputation and track-record, in addition to being the first woman to lead a major U.S. intelligence agency.”
“Tish’s value to a company like UrtheCast is immense — we’ll benefit greatly from her leadership and knowledge,” explained Scott Larson, UrtheCast’s Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to her strategic contribution while UrtheCast continues to revolutionize geospatial Big Data analytics, making imagery and data commercially viable for a much wider universe of end users.”
Among other professional achievements, Ms. Long has been the recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service, the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive, the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive (two awards) and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal (three awards). In 2011, she received the Charlie Allen Award for Distinguished Intelligence Service from the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, was decorated with the Medal of Merit by the King of Norway, and was appointed to the rank of Chevalier in the National Order of the Legion of Honor of France. She was also named one of the Most Powerful Women in the D.C. Metro area by Washingtonian magazine in 2013 and was honored with a 2014 Federal 100 Award by FCW magazine.
Ms. Long’s appointment raises UrtheCast’s board membership to eight in total.
