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Department of Public Utilities, City of Orangeburg Honored with

Special Achievement in GIS Award

Redlands, California – July 15, 2026

Esri, the global leader in geographic information system (GIS) technology, presented the Department of Public Utilities, City of Orangeburg with the Special Achievement in GIS Award.

 The Esri Special Achievement in GIS Award, commonly known as the SAG Award, is a prestigious international recognition presented to organizations and project teams that demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact through the use of geographic information system technology. Award recipients are selected from thousands of organizations worldwide based on the significance, originality, and practical value of their GIS work. Final selections are made by Esri leadership, including Esri founder and president Jack Dangermond.

 The SAG Award recognizes projects that go beyond routine GIS operations and use geospatial technology to improve decision-making, public services, infrastructure management, environmental protection, emergency response, community resilience, and organizational efficiency. Recipients are honored during the Esri User Conference, one of the largest and most influential gatherings of GIS professionals in the world.

 Receiving the SAG Award demonstrates that an organization’s GIS program or project represents a leading example of geospatial innovation and professional excellence. It is considered one of the most respected organizational achievements within the global Esri and applied GIS community.

The DPU GIS team consisted of Yamira Vallés-Nevárez, Business Systems Supervisor; Tarak Aziz, GIS Administrator; and Reese Myers, GIS Analyst.  The Department of Public Utilities proudly recognizes the exceptional contributions of the GIS Team, whose dedication and technical expertise continue to drive our organization toward a more innovative and technologically advanced future.

 Special Achievement in GIS Award                           Special Achievement in GIS Award Photos

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Patsy Bozard - 50 Years of Service

On June 18, 2026, the DPU celebrated Patsy Bozard, Information Technology Applications Analyst, for her extraordinary 50 years of dedicated service. DPU expressed profound gratitude and admiration for her half-century of loyalty and unwavering commitment to the organization. The celebration brought together current employees and numerous DPU retirees, who shared fond memories and humorous stories from their years working alongside Patsy. Highlighting the event, the current generation of IT department employees entertained the crowd with a custom, AI-generated “ RAP” song summarizing Patsy’s remarkable career. Thank you Patsy for your many years of service!

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