Joav Steve Leventer was one of the key figures in the development of geospatial technologies (GIS) in Israel. A graduate of MIT, he was the co- founder and joint CEO of Systematics - Israel’s leading distributor and integrator of computing applications in the fields of science, engineering, and industry. Joav was among the first to recognize the potential of GIS technology when it was still in its infancy. Under his leadership, Systematics introduced Esri’s technology to Israel and became a central force in integrating GIS technology across the country’s defense, governmental, and civilian sectors. Thanks to his vision and leadership, not only does the GIS field in Israel look the way it does today, but the company he built continues to carry his professional and ethical spirit, in new initiatives, in the people he mentored, and in the worldview he instilled. Joav passed away in 2022, leaving behind a wife and two daughters.