Customers, sponsors and Thomson Reuters team members met in Riverside, California for the 2018 SYNERGY Aumentum User Groups Conference—the 21st annual gathering of this group. The five-day event was filled with thought-provoking keynote addresses, more than 100 educational sessions, social events at the historic Mission Inn and Riverside Art Museum, a celebration for this year’s Public Sector Champion Award winners, and lending a hand to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
The opening session got off to an exciting start as Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey, welcomed attendees just weeks ahead of the eagerly anticipated launch of the new Aumentum Technology Platform in Riverside County.
“Riverside County is the first county of its size to implement a technology platform that ties the tax, assessment, auditing and recording functions together through an integrated platform which makes me really proud as a Riverside County resident,” Bailey said. “The success and growth of municipalities depend on leaders, staff and partners understanding the role of technology in the lives citizens and businesses. We must provide our customers with digital infrastructure that can support and encourage networks and ideas that haven’t been thought of yet—all with our eye on the pursuit of private growth and the public good.”
Keith Nichols, managing director of Government, revealed that the Aumentum Technology Platform was built on four key pillars: trust, security, reliability, and efficiency. “Collectively, you and Thomson Reuters are public stewards of sensitive and valuable data that belongs to the constituents of your counties and communities,” he told the audience. “Our new platform strengthens public trust by helping modernize information systems, improve public services, and streamline the tax revenue process with a platform that is flexible and scalable.”
Inspiration and Innovation
In his keynote address, Jack Dangermond, ESRI president and co-founder, energized the audience with his renowned passion for innovation—a driver that is at the core of the Environmental Systems Research Institute’s GIS mapping software and spatial data analytics technology.
Thanks to its growing popularity, Thomson Reuters Innovation Lab had its own track this year. Individuals had the opportunity to participate in journey mapping, persona development, ideation, and design validation. Just as importantly, they offered valuable customer feedback on several areas—including the Records-Edit Checks & Transfer Process, InfoCenter 360, Universal Search, Blockchain, ESRI Maps, Public Access, and more.
Innovation was also a hot topic at the Senior Leadership Symposium as experts revealed how data-sharing partnerships between government and the public sector can drive new solutions for critical challenges facing the “Communities of Tomorrow.” Other panel experts focused on a broad range of current issue, including affordable housing, homelessness, mitigating the aftermath of natural disasters, big data and the application of artificial intelligence in the legal sector.
Celebrating Good People
On Wednesday evening, the Public Sector Champion Awards banquet honored the notable men and women who have made a big difference in their communities and the Thomson Reuters universe. Steve Holthaus, Heidi Easley, Laurie Thomas, Adrian Campa, Eileen Slater, Rick Jeffrey, and Chester Carr are among this year’s standouts. Hear their stories in this collection of videos.
Giving Back to the Riverside Community
The conference wrapped up on Thursday with Thomson Reuters customers and staffers—including members of the Government leadership team—working side-by-side with members of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers wielded paint brushes and rollers to give the home of one deserving Riverside family a fresh coat of paint while building friendships that will be remembered for a long time to come.
Next year, Virginia Beach!
Sunshine, miles of pristine beach, fresh seafood, and an ambiance that is both historic and modern make Virginia Beach the ideal back backdrop for the next SYNERGY User Groups Conference. See a preview of what’s in store, and make plans now to join us September 22-26, 2019.
