October 21, 2005 -- EarthData, a leading mapping and GIS organization based out of Frederick, Maryland, is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Morley as business line manager, online data strategies. In this newly created position, Ms. Morley will develop EarthData's partnership with Microsoft Corporation, which includes opportunities to use EarthData project datasets on Microsoft's MSN Virtual Earth application and to broker the organization's online data. She will work closely with EarthData's production, marketing, and sales departments to coordinate the development and roll-out of plans that enable near-real-time delivery of data to end-users.

Ms. Morley will also champion EarthData's Airborne Rapid Imaging for Emergency Response (ARIES) system. Conceived amid the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero after the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, ARIES is designed to supply near-real-time data during crises. The mobile rapid response mapping system can operate as a component within an evolving national emergency response model. Ms. Morley will coordinate the development and roll-out of the ARIES system.

Prior to joining EarthData, Ms. Morley served as director of product management and, more recently, as vice president of global marketing for LizardTech in Seattle, Washington. Her more than 20 years' experience in the industry with both software and data acquisition enables her to coordinate the creation of new products and services and the introduction of new development programs to maintain EarthData's technological leadership in the mapping and GIS industry. Ms. Morley's experience managing strategic business partnerships with major industry partners and defining strategic product direction will provide valuable insight as EarthData moves forward both in its relationship with Microsoft and in the development of ARIES.

While Ms. Morley officially began her tenure with EarthData on 6 September, she plans to relocate from Seattle to begin working out of the Frederick office at the end of October 2005.