GRIDSMART’s international conference launches next week
By Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer, PYA
There could be some added traffic in the Hardin Valley area next week when GRIDSMART Technologies Inc. hosts its third annual conference attracting traffic management professionals from around the world.
“We expect 175 to 200 people this year from four or five countries,” Bill Malkes, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of GRIDSMART, says of the INTERSECT17 event that has grown each year since the first time it was offered in 2015. More than 100 companies will be represented on a very robust agenda.
The conference, held over three days, features some very well-known featured speakers. They include Mary Peters, Former Secretary of Transportation; George Allen, former Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator; Don Thomas, former Astronaut; Robert Walker, another former Member of Congress who chaired the U.S. House of Representatives Space and Technology Committee; and John Schroer, current Commissioner of Transportation for the State of Tennessee.
Malkes has created a theme for each day of INTERSECT17 . . . “The Now” on the first day, “The Transition” on the second day, and “The Future” on the third day.
Mixed in between morning and late afternoon speeches are panel sessions. There’s a business track all three days as well as a data track on November 14, a cybersecurity track on November 15, and something called “Technical Thursday” on November 16. Here’s the latest agenda (INTERSECT17 Agenda).
In addition to the three days of INTERSECT17, the week-long event also includes a “Technical Training Day” on November 13 and a “Day of Service” on November 17 focused on the Lonsdale community of Knoxville.
“GRIDSMART sponsors the Lonsdale Student of the Month,” Malkes said. “We are also sponsoring a poster contest for Lonsdale as part of INTERSECT17 where the winners will come to INTERSECT17 and meet Don Thomas.”
Malkes added that “for those who stay around and help with providing a fun day for Lonsdale Kids (think field day with bouncy houses and treats), we will take those who complete the ‘Day of Service’ to the UT Football game on Saturday.”
You can learn more about the “Day of Service” here.
Knoxville-based GRIDSMART is widely known throughout the intelligent transportation industry as the creator of the world’s only single camera solution for intersection actuation, traffic data collection, and situational awareness that eliminates the need for multiple cameras and reduces cost.
