About Kessler GIS

BRUCE L. KESSLER, GISP

20414 W. Baker Rd.

Cheney, WA 99004

509-235-5500 (phone and fax)

509-675-0493 (cell and voice mail)

D-U-N-S Number: 048026244

TAX ID: 91-1688219

Established in the Spring of 2001, Kessler GIS emphasizes natural resources teaching, consulting and map production in ArcGIS. This includes ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo Desktop 9.x, Spatial Analyst 9.x, and ArcSDE 9.x. Mr. Kessler uses his broad-based ArcInfo GIS experience that started in 1985 to help clients understand the basics. He teaches self-sufficiency, and fully documents where he is leading the client and where they have been. Additionally, he believes that once a client is brought on-board with a project, the project should not be juggled with numerous others. In that light, he expends great energy to keep his number of active projects limited, the projects focused and on schedule, and his clients informed.

Mr. Kessler teaches Introduction to ArcGIS I & II (9.x) through the ESRI Authorized Training Program (ATP). Additionally, he supports many advanced or special topics outside of the ATP, and in this light, he does custom course development. He has written a number custom ArcGIS courses for the USFS and a custom ArcGIS course for the BLM using SDE. Just before he concluded his 12 years with ESRI his last task was to assess the functionality of ArcGIS 8.1 Spatial Analyst – a challenging and enjoyable project in light of his special interest in that area.

Mr. Kessler believes one cannot fully teach GIS without continuing real-world experiences. Mr. Kessler consults in ArcGIS and concentrates on natural resources. System and Database Upgrades following software and hardware developments, Needs Assessments, Database Design, Data Conversion and Maintenance, Application Design, Contract Monitoring, and Programming are some of the application areas he works in. He works within all supported data models: coverage, shapefile, and Geodatabase including both SDE and Personal Geodatabases. Additionally, he enjoys the simple pleasure of creating nice looking and efficient maps.

Mr. Kessler presents special seminars to small or large groups on topics relating to GIS. For instance, What is GIS?, Managing a GIS, Communicating What You Want in the GIS Techno World, etc. Many of the special topics are geared towards educating clients and helping to keep them moving in a positive direction. He can adapt and present a variety of topics fitting client educational needs.

Recent Clients

	USDA Forest Service Enterprise Group
	HDR, Alaska
	Forest Capital, WA
	Stevens County Rural Resources Ride Share Program, Colville, WA
	City of Kent, WA
	U.S. Forest Service
	U.S. Timber Co., OR
	Rural Information Technology Center, Colville, WA
	Seneca Jones Timber Co., Oregon
	City of Walla Walla, WA
	National Park Service, Alaska
	King County, WA
	Bureau of Land Management, Montana
	Cominco American, WA
	Kittitas County, WA
	Maurice Williamson Consulting Foresters, Inc., WA
	Fluor Hanford, WA
	Pierce County, WA

Professional Experience Highlights

	He developed and wrote the following courses: * A 1-day GeoDatabase Course, emphasizing topology and editing * A 1-day ModelBuilder Course * A 2-day ArcView GIS Course for Idaho Department of Lands * A 3-day Beginning ArcGIS Course for Natural Resource Users * A 3-day Beginning ArcGIS Courses for USFS users (and has maintained it through numerous versions) * A 3-day Introduction to ArcGIS course (emphasizing SDE) for the BLM.
	He developed an ArcView 3.x / Access application and user interface (using ODBC) for managing resource data for the National Park Service.
	He developed and helped implement a full database design for Seneca Jones Timber Co.
	He supported numerous ESRI clients by providing specialized consulting services such as project management, database design, application programming, data conversion, and development of comprehensive training classes.
	He has experience in a number of programming languages, operating systems, and software packages since his introduction to computers in 1978.
	He taught most of the courses offered by ESRI up to 2001, and specialized in the advanced topics for 12 years. These included the general areas of ARC/INFO, and ArcView. He developed and presented special workshops on topics including ArcGIS, ArcView, Spatial Analyst, ARC/INFO, AML, GRID, Regions, and Dynamic Segmentation.
	He has contributed to a number of rewrites on various ESRI training materials.
	He delivered many presentations at seminars and workshops covering diverse topics relating to consulting projects he had performed or special topics he had researched.
	In 1995, he was ESRI’s manager and major author of two one-week courses for the U.S. Forest Service, which included design, writing, production, prototyping, and teaching.

Background

Mr. Kessler earned his GISP license in 2005 after completing all the requirements. He earned his M.S. and B.S. degrees in forest resource management from the University of Idaho in 1985 and 1980, respectively. He began working with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the University, and has been working professionally with GIS since 1985. In 1989, he joined Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) in sales. Later, he migrated to an application project manager, application programming specialist, and a GIS teacher. After twelve years and early in 2001, Mr. Kessler resigned his position in ESRI and started his own GIS consulting business.

Other Professional Experience

In 1998, Mr. Kessler joined the Rural Information Technology Center (RITC) in Colville, WA as a Founding Board Member. This non-profit organization emphasizes technology transfer, technology education, and job creation. RITC has been instrumental in developing a cooperative effort between government and private corporations to provide fiber optic phone lines to this rural community. RITC is involved in the development of a call center and has plans for developing a high-tech research park. Additionally, one major application area is GIS. RITC has sponsored GIS training, on-the-job experience, and provided jobs for local people. RITC is providing the core labor component and computers for a county wide digital parcel development effort. Mr. Kessler is most closely involved in the GIS component and has volunteered many hours of his time.

In 1997 Mr. Kessler became adjunct faculty at the Stevens County Rural Campus for Washington State University. He taught two three-credit courses: Intro to GIS and Advanced GIS. He maintains an interest in teaching at the University and plans to do more when the demand again arises.

While located with ESRI in Boulder, Colorado, he was adjunct faculty at the University of Denver and advised graduate students planning to enter the GIS profession.

From 1984 to 1989, Mr. Kessler was a senior remote sensing and GIS analyst for the Idaho Department of Water Resources. He managed the early design for a water management GIS database for the State of Idaho. He wrote and secured contracts between state and federal agencies, as well as private firms. He also analyzed Landsat MSS data using various software and performed statistical analysis on the results. He also digitized and mapped land cover, land use, transportation, hydrography, PLS lines, and political boundaries. Mr. Kessler maintained and supported ARC/INFO software on PCs and VAXstations, and trained and advised co-workers in the planning and use of ARC/INFO.

He was a research associate for the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Range Sciences at the University of Idaho from 1981 to 1984. He managed the University's Remote Sensing Lab. He also flew, processed, printed, and analyzed aerial photographs in various formats and film types for a number of different forestry, agricultural, fisheries, and soil studies. As a teaching assistant, Mr. Kessler taught laboratory sessions for aerial photo interpretation and photo processing techniques.

During 1981-82, Mr. Kessler worked for the Idaho Lands Department as a resource management lead worker. He was a forest technician for the U.S. Forest Service–Region 1, from 1979 to 1980. He was a forester's aide for Stadt Boeblingen, West Germany, in 1973.

Formal Education

	M.S. (Forest Resource Management) University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, 1985
	B.S. (Forest Resource Management) University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, 1980

Academic and Professional Achievements

	GIS Certification Institute, 2005 #00048531
	Chair for the Society of American Forester's GIS Working Group, 1995–96
	Chair-elect for the Society of American Forester's GIS Working Group, 1993–94
	Xi Sigma Pi, National Forestry Honor Society

Current Boards, Committees, and Volunteer organizations

	NW ArcInfo User's Group ESRI International User's Conference Venue Committee for San Diego, 2007-8
	NW ArcInfo User's Group Education Chair, 2006-8
	URISA member, 2005 - present
	URISA GISCorps volunteer, 2004 - present
	Founding Board Member: Rural Information Technology Center, 1998-2004, Colville, WA
	Board Member: Arden Hills Water User Association, 1999 – 2008
	Active in his daughter’s schools as a teacher’s volunteer, 2000 - present, Colville, WA
	Active in Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, 1995 - present
	Active in Ducks Unlimited, 1995 - present

ESRI trademarks used herein by license from ESRI

	100% focused on helping clients become self-sufficient and energized Kessler GIS makes Geographic Information Systems happen