Chad Cooper has worked in the geospatial industry over the last 15 years as a technician, analyst, and developer, pertaining to state and local government, oil and gas, and academia. For the last 3 years, he has worked as a solutions engineer, consulting on the State and Local Government team with Geographic Information Services, Inc. At work, he couldn't be happier spending the day writing Python and helping clients get the most out of their data through the use of the Esri platform. At home, he enjoys hanging out with his gorgeous wife of 12 years and their 3 wonderful children. They enjoy hiking, fishing, and doing nothing on a nice beach. Chad has a bachelor's degree from the Mississippi State University and a master's degree from the University of Arkansas, both in geology.
Writing a book has been on my bucket list for quite a few years now. I've published articles in Python Magazine and Esri's ArcUser, but when the opportunity to write this book came along, I knew I had to take it. This book was written in my office, at airports, on airplanes, in hotel rooms, at conference centers, at coffee shops, in cars, at the beach, in a cabin, and on the couch while watching Care Bears with my amazing, beautiful daughter. Needless to say, I was always crunched for time. Without the support and help of my wonderful wife and kids, writing this book never would have been possible. Thank you so very much for helping me accomplish this goal. My employer, Geographic Information Services Inc. (GISinc), also played a vital role in this publication by providing necessary resources and being understanding on the days after 2 A.M. writing sessions the night before. I had an amazing crew of technical reviewers and am indebted to them, especially Daniel Huber and Zebadiah K. Steeby, both colleagues at GISinc, who have provided guidance, support, and continuing education over the years. Finally, the editorial staff at Packt Publishing was great to work with and provided support and guidance throughout the entire writing process.