Conway Corp Operations System Coordinator Chris Boudreaux was recently honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arkansas GIS Users Forum, recognizing his more than three decades of leadership, innovation and service in geographic information systems (GIS) across Arkansas.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is one of the highest honors presented by the Arkansas GIS Users Forum and is given to individuals who have demonstrated sustained excellence, leadership and service in the GIS field over the course of their careers. Nominees are submitted by their peers from across the state each year.
Every two years, the Arkansas GIS Users Forum hosts a symposium and training event where industry users from around the state, along with vendors from different areas of the GIS world, meet to converse, collaborate and discuss the present and future of GIS in their work environments. Over the past 35 years, this group has grown and contributed significantly to the success of GIS throughout Arkansas.
As Operations System Coordinator, Boudreaux helps manage and develop Conway Corp’s GIS and mapping systems, which support the operation of electric, water, wastewater and telecommunications infrastructure. Earlier in his career, he helped create a GIS system for Little Rock Wastewater and built and maintained basemaps for member organizations of the Pulaski Area GIS (PAGIS). Boudreaux joined Conway Corp in March 1999, tasked with building four utility systems and a basemap from the ground up.
“From the day Chris joined Conway Corp, he has been a self-motivated, forward-thinking leader who built our GIS and operations systems into some of the most advanced in the state,” Conway Corp Engineering & Planning Manager Dale Gottsponer said. “The foundation he has laid will continue to support our engineering, planning and operations teams long after his retirement.”
Boudreaux’s influence extends beyond Conway. He was an early contributor to the establishment of the Arkansas GIS Users Forum and has served on both the Users Forum board and the State GIS board. Throughout his years in GIS, he has led departments to stay on the cutting edge of what GIS can do for an organization and has provided guidance to many entities that have looked to his work as a model.
“Chris has spent his career pushing GIS forward in Arkansas, and his vision, determination and willingness to share what he’s learned have lifted up our entire GIS community,” Conway Corp GIS Coordinator James Rains said. “His work at Conway Corp and across the state is a roadmap many of us have followed in our own careers.”
In addition to GIS, Boudreaux has played a key role in implementing and coordinating other critical operations systems at Conway Corp, including Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and the Outage Management System (OMS). These systems depend on accurate, integrated data flowing to and from GIS as the system of record. His dedication and tenacity have helped establish these as reliable, high-performing tools that enhance system reliability and customer service.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award from peers I respect so much,” Conway Corp Operations System Coordinator Chris Boudreaux said. “I am grateful to Conway Corp for supporting the use of GIS and operations technology to improve the way we serve our customers every day.”
With his retirement planned for January 2026, Boudreaux will leave behind a legacy of data, innovation and hard work that provides a solid foundation for Conway Corp’s engineering, planning and operations efforts for years to come.
