The Arkansas Geographic Information Office (AGIO) in Little Rock has recently named Tony Rinehart to our list of Arkansas Geographic Information Systems (GIS) leaders. Rinehart is Calhoun County’s Emergency Services Manager and overseer of Calhoun’s readdressing project, among his many titles, and was “born and raised” there.

Calhoun is one of three counties in Arkansas who is still using a rural route addressing system, and both Rinehart and Calhoun County Judge Nutt have recognized how important it is to map and convert the old mail delivery series to a locatable or city-style address system. Rinehart says “there are some residents who are resisting change,” but the majority of the county is “all for it.”

Using his extensive knowledge of the county roads and residents, he had coordinated with GIS staff and local organizations to map the roads and houses, collect needed information, and compile it all in a state standard GIS format. Calhoun County’s new address system is now about 95% complete, according to Rinehart. He also adds that despite the challenges he and his team have faced with this project, such as address-matching and financial issues, the assistance of the AGIO team has allowed the project to go “smoothly.”

People like Tony rarely seem to get the credit they deserve, not that they expect it or do what they do to get it, but we at AGIO have worked closely with him and want all of you to know how important he is to Calhoun County and the GIS community.