2025 Awards Recipients
Congratulations to our 2025 Awards Recipients
Allen H. Miller Sustained Service Award - Andy Faust
The Allen H Miller Sustained Service Award is given to an individual or organization that demonstrates sustained service to WLIA and the WLIP, through continued exemplary contributions. The Allen H. Miller Sustained Service Award is named after the first WLIA President, who was a great friend and supporter.
Andy is an invaluable resource for the Wisconsin Land Information Association and the land information community as a whole. He served on the Board starting in 2012, represents WLIA on the NG 911 subcommittee, played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium (WROC), as well as served on many other committees and task forces.
Emerging Leader Awards - Eric Passler and Anna Peters
Eric Passler
Eric began pursuing his career in GIS as a student in GIS at UW-Whitewater. He interned for a summer in the Property Listing Department at Waukesha County where he learned the principles of legal descriptions and COGO while sharpening his skills in ESRI products and gaining experience by job shadowing on UAS drone flights. He used these experiences as a springboard to a position with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a GIS Specialist. In his short time there he has already advanced to a new position and shows promise for a successful career in GIS.
Anna Peters
Anna has done an excellent job of jumping in and volunteering for events and committees. Her commitment to getting things done, and doing them well has enhanced the WLIA experience for many. She took the New Members presentation for the Annual Conference and elevated it with the story map that she built.
Government Achievement Award – Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs-Office of Emergency Communications, NextGen 9-1-1
Given to a municipal, town, county, regional planning commission, state, federal, or tribal government or consortium that has demonstrated excellence in one or more of the following areas: innovative and efficient use of resources (best “bang for the buck”), sustainable development of critical local, regional, or statewide geospatial datasets, implementation of creative cooperative agreements, creation of innovative applications and information services that improve the delivery of government services to citizens.
We commend the team's determination as they navigated complex technical hurdles and mastered a long list of acronyms. Their dedication has brought Wisconsin closer to a safer, more reliable emergency response system for everyone who lives in or visits the state.
Friend of Land Records award - PRIA Local
Given to an individual or organization that is not a WLIA member and has contributed to the success or advancement of land records modernization in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Judicial Privacy Act intends to protect judicial officers by restricting public access to their personal information. While well-intentioned, the law also introduced unforeseen challenges for government and private sector operations. PRIA Local collaborated with the Wisconsin County's Association (WCA) and other professional associations to coordinate efforts and provide feedback to the State Court Office.
Outstanding Contribution Award – Adam Dorn
Given to an individual or an organization that is a WLIA member and has made a substantial contribution to WLIA activities or the Wisconsin Land Information Program (WLIP).
Adam Dorn stepped up to lead the WLIA Judicial Privacy task force at a time when we needed someone with his exact skills and abilities to do so. He is calm, level-headed, and absolutely brilliant. The work of the task force this year has certainly been a collaborative effort with an amazing group of individuals stepping up to volunteer – but Adam herds the cats, says the right things in every meeting, and has helped forge meaningful relationships across the spectrum of stakeholders affected by Act 235. This contribution in 2024 is unmatched.
President’s Award – Jaime Martindale and Nicole Barbiaux
The President’s Award is a meritorious award given at the President’s discretion. The President may select someone at their discretion based on the support that person offers the President or the Association.
Jaime and Nicole each came onto the Board of Directors having served Wisconsin’s land information community behind the scenes for many years. They boldly stepped into the spotlight as committee leaders, being instrumental in shepherding the Association toward a response to Act 235 legislation (Jaime) and in communicating hundreds of updates to WLIA members (Nicole). Furthermore, their willingness to collaborate across committees and organizations, their individual growth over two years on the board, and their enthusiastic agitation of the President’s brain (no easy feat), make me thrilled to grant them this award! – Colter J. Sikora. 2024 WLIA President
Distinguished Service Awards
The Distinguished Service Award is given to outgoing Board members in recognition for their service to the Association.
Our outgoing board members are Nik Anderson, Doug Avoles, Nicole Barbiaux, Maggie Bennett, Brad Blumer and Jaime Martindale. Also receiving Distinguished Services Awards for their work on the Board in 2023 were Past-President Jennifer Borlick, President Colter Sikora and President-Elect Kim Christman.
The Outgoing Past President was awarded to Jennifer Borlick and Outgoing President was awarded to Colter Sikora.