President - Bryan Haynie
President - Elect - Kevin Norris
Vice President - David Moyle 
Secretary - Wayne Aubertin
Treasurer - Steve Jones
Immediate Past President - Rob Kundrick 
NSPS Director - Aaron Worley
Regional Director - Vincent Nohe
Appalachian Chapter - Wayne Aubertin
Baltimore Chapter - James Grammer
Carrol Chapter - Kanaan Thomas Sr.
Chesapeake Chapter - Bill Pugh
Eastern Shore Chapter - Jeff Hubbard
Howard Chapter - Frank Manalansan
Potomac Chapter - David Harman
Southern Chapter - Kevin Norris
Susquehanna Chapter - John Mettee IV
Western Chapter - Michael Coughenour
Young Surveyors Chapter - Nick Alexander

If you have not yet register for the conference, there is still time, however classes are filling up quickly! Click here to view the agenda, and to register click here.

See you in Ocean City!

Legislation to provide surveyors reasonable access to land necessary for the completion of field data collection moved through the General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Moore earlier this year.

The Senate bill, SB0344 ,  sponsored by State Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (D-18-Montgomery) passed the State Senate on March 14 by a vote of 46-0, while the House bill, HB038 , introduced by Delegates Stuart Michael Schmidt, Jr. (R-33B-Anne Arundel), Mary A. Lehman (D-21-Prince George's and Anne Arundel), and April Miller (R-4-Frederick) was approved by the House of Delegates on March 15 by a vote of 135-0, and this legislation was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore on May 9 with MSS President Rob Kundrick, Immediate Past President Paul Ewell, and Legislative Committee Chairman Bill Bower present in the State House in Annapolis to witness the bill signing by the Governor.   

The MSS-supported new law provides an exemption for professional surveyors and their crews from certain criminal prohibitions against trespass on property and the civil tort of trespass.

Surveyors have a professional responsibility to protect property rights of the public with accurate and impartial boundary determinations. As part of this responsibility, surveyors are required to collect all relevant evidence when retracing a property boundary. In order to understand the complex pieces of the property puzzle, and to accurately identify, and sometimes set, the property corners as physical points on the ground, surveyors must locate adjoining boundary evidence, which sometimes requires entering property not owned by the surveyor’s client.

It is prudent for field surveyors to at least knock on neighbors' doors to let them know who they work for, and what they’re doing. On larger linear projects, mailers may be sent, sometimes by certified mail, and even community meetings are held to engage with the affected communities prior to starting work.

Additionally, State and local regulations require the precise location of adjacent environmental features and improvements on development plans. Environmental features (tidal waters & wetlands), and private utilities (septic & well) can have setbacks that extend 100ft or more onto adjacent properties. Likewise, many urban jurisdictions require the location of adjacent structures to ensure conformity of development. All of these regulations require land surveyors to enter adjoining property to provide accurate location data.

Through the efforts of MSS, Maryland now joins 30 other states that grant private surveyors either a “right of entry” or an exemption from trespass liability.  The new law in Maryland does not exempt surveyors from liability for actions that are willful, wanton, reckless, fraudulent, or malicious, so honest, ethical, and professional conduct is still a best practice. Surveyors are only exempt from trespass while performing survey services and are not permitted to enter buildings under the new law.

The work of Past President Paul Ewell, who began the process of MSS researching the need for such a law, Legislative Chair Bill Bower, who testified before the Legislature in support of the bill, and MSS Lobbyist Bill Kress, who shepherded the bill through the Legislature, made this new law possible.

This landmark law is an example of the effectiveness of MSS when members working together serve the public and elevate the profession.  Thanks and congratulations to all MSS members.

It will be a joyous occasion when the Maryland surveying community gathers in Ocean City on October 16-19 for the society's 57^th Annual Conference.  If you are not yet registered to attend, click here to check out the program and register today. If you need a hotel room, reservations must be made before Wednesday, October 2, 2024, to guarantee the group rates. Click here to make your hotel reservation.

To view the proposed bylaw changes, please click here.

Reasonable Access Bills Become Law

HB 382 and SB 344, MSS-supported bills to give land surveyors and their crews reasonable access to private property in order to carry out surveying services in the State of Maryland, were signed into law on May 9. Attending the bill signing by Maryland Governor Wes Moore at the State House in Annapolis were MSS President Rob Kundrick, Immediate Past President Paul Ewell, and Legislative Committee Chairman Bill Bower. Also in attendance were bill sponsors Senator Jeff Waldstreicher and Delegate Stuart Schmidt, as well as Senate President Bill Ferguson and Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones.

President - Rob Kundrick

Immediate Past President - Paul Ewell

The Maryland Society of Surveyors (MSS) is pleased to announce that a class on Soil Erosion and Sediment Control will be offered beginning in February by the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in Catonsville.

This is a class that MSS has previously offered at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD.

This will be a hybrid class.  There will be just two (2) in-person, on-campus sessions, along with four (4) virtual/remote/webinar sessions, all offered on Saturdays.  The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, February 5 - on campus

Saturday, February 12 – virtual

Saturday, February 19 - virtual

Saturday, February 26 - virtual

Saturday, March 5 - virtual

Saturday, March 12 - on campus

The course is ENV028- Soil Erosion and Sediment Control.  The cost is $569. Registration for the course will take place on the first day of class (Saturday, February 5). There will be no online registration.

This course is one of four (4) courses offered to Land Surveyors wishing to qualify for the two years of incidental engineering experience required for the Land Surveyors licensing exam. The course focuses on Sediment Erosion Control Design as specified by the state of Maryland. The following manuals are necessary: 

The Sediment Control Manual;

Other necessary manuals include the SHA Drainage Manual, the TR55 Manual, and the MD SWM Manual. In addition to the manuals each student will need a calculator, worksheets, drafting scale, pencils, etc. and access to a means of printing PDF design plans, problems, and assignments (Staples can do it) for at home classes.

The course focus is as follows:

The course will cover Planning and Design of Sediment Control features with special emphasis on interface with SWM ESD practices, grading and stabilization, water conveyance thru open sites, erosion control for inlet and outlet situations, filtering systems and trapping of sedimentation while protecting ESD devices, dewatering of the project work areas, and sediment trapping, sediment trap design, and sediment basin design.  

The class will design a sediment control plan for a medium sized subdivision which will require planning and placement of trap design, berms, dikes and other features to protect numerous site and ESD features, require planning and placement of perimeter controls and will include trap and basin design.

The class project will be a Charles County project designed to Maryland SCS requirements, as well as Charles County standards and requirements.

The course meets the requirements of the Maryland State Board for Land Surveyors and consists of six 8-hour classes and a final exam. 

Our instructor is Mr. James Whitehead, PLS. Mr. Whitehead is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a BS Degree in Civil Engineering. He has presented numerous courses in erosion, sediment, stormwater management, and drainage for MSS and others over the past 25 years. Mr. Whitehead is a past president of MSS.

Register

If you or an individual in your firm, agency, office, or organization are interested in this class, or are preparing to take the exam to become a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in Maryland or simply wish to sharpen your design skills, please contact CCBC to register at 443.840.4700. Hours of operation are Monday & Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Wednesday & Thursday: 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The Course Registration Number (CRN) for the sediment course is 77700. 

Or, for further information, contact me (john@marylandsurveyor.org) and we will add you to the class list and facilitate the correspondence with CCBC and our instructor.

Some minor experience with grading, drainage and plan reading is very helpful but not essential.

Even before the Coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. earlier this year, the demand in surveying was high.  The average age of a licensed professional surveyor in America is 58, and seasoned surveyors are retiring and leaving the profession at a higher rate than younger people are entering the field.

Surveyors, and the technicians who assist in the practice of surveying, play an important part in the U.S. economy. These professionals and their support technicians make accurate measurements of the land, structures, and natural and man-made features, and determine property boundaries. The geospatial workforce provides data relevant to the size, shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, and dimensions of land and features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, land use, development, construction, environmental protection, resource management, defense, aerospace, law enforcement, public safety, homeland security, healthcare, public and private utilities, energy and other fossil and renewable resources development, IT and software/hardware development, internet tools, general business, banking,  insurance, retail and marketing, as well as government agencies at all levels. Geospatial technologies now have a place in almost every market sector and industry.

“Surveying has been and continues to be a wonderful career choice for me and there are tremendous opportunities in surveying today,” said Daniel L. Burke, Jr., PLS, President of the Maryland Society of Surveyors. “During the COVID 19 pandemic, Governor Hogan declared surveying to be an essential business related to federal critical infrastructure sectors, and surveyors kept working. But, the number of individuals entering this great profession is not keeping up with the demand.”

While we learned from our history books that Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln were surveyors, surveying today is a modern profession that utilizes and applies state of the art technology (UAV, LiDAR, CAD, Scanning, Total Stations, GPS and other satellites), as well as knowledge of the law, history, and mathematics to collect and apply data to solve problems and provide solutions for clients.

Surveyors contribute to community and society through environmental protection; economic growth; preservation of property rights; collection of data for decision-making; protecting public health, welfare and safety; and providing a foundation for engineering, infrastructure and construction.

A career in surveying can not only be personally fulfilling but financially rewarding as well.  Salaries for survey crews and technicians are above the overall national per capita average annual income.  Income for licensed professional surveyors in Maryland is typically more than $70,000 per year, while the principal, owner, partner or senior executive in a surveying firm or organization typically earns a six- figure salary (+$100,000).

Surveying is increasingly attracting women, minorities, and other segments of our population which have been traditionally under-served. As a part of a broader “geospatial” profession, there are career and employment opportunities in a variety of environments including outdoors, office, and computer lab.  In Maryland, a 4-year college degree is not a prerequisite for becoming a licensed professional surveyor, but rather, the requirements are a combination of on the job experience and education.  There are several post-secondary options for education in surveying available to Marylanders, including a 2-year degree program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in Catonsville, partly supported by MSS-affiliated scholarships.

For technicians and field personnel, prerequisites for entry-level jobs are minimal.  An aptitude for mathematics, the ability for analytical thinking, and a bit of computer knowledge are important skills for positions in surveying.

For information on employment and careers in surveying, visit the Maryland Society of Surveyors website at www.marylandsurveyor.org and click on “Careers” to search current job Openings; click on “Resources” and then “Workforce Development” for additional information.

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Now that the Maryland Society of Surveyors (MSS) has been successful in working with Governor Hogan to keep surveying firms open for business and defined as an essential business, it is important to remember that with that right comes a tremendous responsibility.

All Maryland surveyors must be vigilant in adopting best practices these challenging and threatening times.  Working with our risk and insurance partner, the Klein Agency, we recommend the following practices that may offer some guidance:

• How to avoid spreading the virus
  • Greater frequency of disinfectant cleaning throughout the office, in vehicles, and on field equipment.  Be certain that your employees, including field crews, have supplies of water, disinfectant, hand sanitizers, and other materials to keep clean the surfaces, equipment and other items employees and colleagues will be touching
  • Encourage frequent hand washing
  • If an employee shows symptoms, lives with someone who is sick, or has been exposed to someone who is sick, that employee should be encouraged and empowered to stay home from work 
  • Follow the CDC guidelines for quarantine and testing until the employee is cleared.
    • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
• When at work:
  • All staff should maintain at least 6’ distance and avoid congregating
  • Limit/exclude office visitors of any kind (including family members of employees)
    • Prioritize online (i.e. Zoom/Skype) meetings and conference calls with both clients and staff
  • Encourage and support “social distancing” of field personnel, including but not limited to:
    • Use of mobile communication equipment as an alternative to speaking at closer range
    • Limit the number of personnel in any vehicle to one, with additional personnel following in another company vehicle or one’s own personal vehicle
      • Note that when a personal vehicle is used for company business, it is that employee’s personal auto insurance that will respond as primary if involved in an accident
      • Usually included, but recommend reviewing with your firm’s commercial auto insurance provider that the firm’s auto policy provides excess protection for the firm
  • If restrictions tighten, provide all employees with a letter for personal and company vehicles (on employer’s letterhead) confirming they are working for an essential business as defined by the government agencies
• When working remotely:
  • If/when setting up a remote workplace for staff, consider:
    • Consistency of this offering among all staff with similar responsibilities
    • Network (cyber) security and file storage, including but not limited to:
      • Access to server
      • Virus protection and firewalls
      • Remote Internet speed/bandwidth impact on CAD production workflow
      • Integration of remote workflow into file backup procedures

Thank you for your continued membership, participation and support with MSS. Communication is encouraged as we all make our way through this together.  Please, do not hesitate to contact MSS if we can be of any assistance, or contact the Klein Agency if you need assistance with any risk, liability, best practices, or insurance questions.

Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you at MSS events once such gatherings are permitted to resume. 

 1.    When did you start surveying, and why?

 1985, I was attending art school and responded to a help wanted ad for a draftsman position, was hired, started drafting, and was in the field the first week.

2.    Describe one of your best experiences while surveying?
Resolving a boundary dispute between neighbors without involving the courts, attorneys, or police.

3.    Describe one of your worst experiences while surveying?
An injury while surveying in the mountains, I spent 10 days in the trauma center with a punctured lung.

4.    What type of surveying makes up most of your work?
Boundary and topographic surveys.

5.    Who are some of the surveyors that influenced your knowledge in the profession (in school or on the job)?
Albert “Roy” Snyder,  Dennis Meckley, and the late James Mask of Catonsville Community College (now CCBC).

6.    What was special about what you learned from them?
Mr. Snyder taught me almost everything there was to know about surveying, both in the field and office. Mr. Meckley taught me how to manage people and larger projects. Mr. Mask taught me more of the technically related side of surveys as well as storm drain design.  The biggest benefit was that they all had slightly different perspectives on the profession.

7.    What advice would you give to new surveyors?
To learn as much as they can from their employers, licensed surveyors, and staff that they work with, and to accumulate as much boundary survey experience as possible. With the advent of robotics and VRS/GNSS, many companies are deploying one-man crews in the field, so it’s very important for these new surveyors to have discussions and training on all matters of surveying.

8.    When you are not surveying, what do you like to do?
Spend time with family or play golf.

9.    How has surveying changed you?
I’m not sure that it has changed me, but it’s given me an appreciation for our profession’s history and the surveyors of days gone by.

Proposed Revisions to the COMAR Educational Equivalency Requirements - The State Board for Professional Land Surveyors has proposed changes to the Educational Equivalency Requirements found in Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Section 09.13.07 which are outlined in the attached document.

With regard to the pending COMAR, the statement of purpose notes: “The purpose of this action is to revise the regulations governing educational equivalency and general prelicensing application requirements to provide for a more streamlined path to qualify as an examination applicant for a professional land surveyor’s license.”

The Board is accepting comments on these proposed changes through February 3, 2020, prior to its February 5, 2020, open meeting to consider these changes. Comments can be submitted to Joseph Cullingford, Executive Director, Design Board, Maryland Department of Labor, 500 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, or call 410-230-6262, or email to joseph.cullingford@maryland.gov, or fax to 410-962-8483.

A century later and on the doorstep of the 2020s, the emergence of new technologies that could not even been imagined in the 1920s are upon us. Virtual Reality, Augmented Realty, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, and New Communications Infrastructure (e.g. 5G) are just a few of the technologies dramatically impacting our lives even now. Many of these exciting technologies are already integrated into the tools used by land surveyors today. If my dad heard someone utter these terms when he started his surveying career in the late 1950s, he would have thought they were reading from a sci-fi comic.

As exciting as these emerging technologies are, they also present challenges to the existing processes we use, procedures we follow, and even the laws we are subject to when practicing land surveying. In an effort to ensure that the tools and technologies we use in the practice of land surveying are not limited, MSS hopes to have legislation introduced for the 2021 Maryland legislative session which would amend the current language of the Land Surveyors Practice Act. A draft of these amendments will be presented to every Chapter during one of their regularly scheduled meetings over the next six months. Look for a meeting notice from your Chapter Chair and we encourage you to come out and provide feedback.

We need to continue to embrace these incredible advancements in technology and push for even greater innovation and integration of them in our profession.  This next decade is OUR Roaring Twenties and I cannot wait to see where it takes us!

When did you start surveying, and why? I began surveying in January of 2004. I wish I could say that it was because I had a love for maps ever since I was a kid, and that surveying seemed like the perfect fit. Unfortunately (at the time), it was mostly out of necessity. After spending some time away from home with the Marines, I finally came back and started college. I decided to begin with drafting classes. The plan was to take enough classes to eventually get my foot in the door with an engineering or architectural firm. The reason for this was because most of my life I had worked with my family doing masonry work; I had some exposure to engineers and architects while working with my family as young teen. I signed up for full-time classes during the day and worked (full time) during the evenings loading and unloading trains at Union Station in DC. After a year of that same exhausting schedule, I finally had a good number of classes under my belt to land a job.

I spent the next several months failing at that. It was disheartening to say the least. By this time, feeling burnt out; my ex-wife (wife at the time) told me that she ran into an old friend. While they were catching up on what everyone was up to, my name came up and her friends father mentioned that I should give him a call. After some hesitation, I finally reached out to Mr. Ken West. He was extremely nice and helpful. I immediately regretted waiting so long to give him a call. He gave me the names of four individuals that he thought could use an entry level technician. I made the calls and after some more struggles I finally scheduled my first interview. I got the job right on the spot and I spent the next seven years working for Capitol Development Design, Inc. (CDDI) next to some great and hard-working people.

Describe one of your best experiences while surveying? I hope that this answer doesn’t come across as too generic of an answer but I do want to be honest. I can’t pick just one experience. What I can say is that my overall experience as a surveyor has been, and continues to be, my best experience. When someone asks me the same question about my time with the Marines, I have a similar answer because I think there are a lot of things that relate. First, it has been all the people I have had the pleasure of meeting and listening to.

Even now, as I am more involved with MSS, I really enjoy meeting surveyors from different places and listening to their experiences. You never know what you’re going to learn. What is most interesting is having the opportunity to see things from their point of view.

Second, and I’m sure a lot a surveyors here will be able to relate to this one, is the different locations I’ve been able to see as a surveyor. Unlike my previous experience as a teen working with my family on a construction site that’s up and running, surveying has offered a unique opportunity to explore a piece of earth that has been mostly untouched and that only very few have explored. I remember starting off as a rodman on a three-man crew and enjoying the fact that every job site was different. That is one of the things that got my interest going for this profession going.

Describe one of your worst experiences while surveying? I have a couple that jump out at me. The first was when I was sent to go help out a field crew finish a soil boring stake-out at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Randolph Road. For those who are familiar with the area, it’s a high traffic area. At some point, our flagger lost focus and didn’t warn us a bus was getting really close to us while we were setting a point on the shoulder. As I was standing up to move on to the next point I heard the crew chief yell out “No!”. At that same moment I felt something go over top of me and lightly brush the hair on top of my head. As I looked up, I noticed that it was the metal frame of the side mirror of an old school bus just barely missed the back of my head. The second is what I call “the summer of bees”. I’ve never had any issues with bees before until the summer of 2014. I believe this all happened within the matter of a month. The first was when we were at a job site and my co-worker stood on a nest of yellow jackets.

As we both ran away in different directions, they proceeded to chase me instead of him. I’m pretty sure I could hear him laughing in the distance but the bee stings weren’t too bad since yellow jackets had never really affected me too much. Next was when I was clearing some brush along a fence line in College Park. All I remember is seeing two black wasps coming out of nowhere and quickly zapping me right between my eyes. That one hurt a little but it still wasn’t too bad. My forehead was swollen for a day or so and my co-workers kept comparing me to Eric Stoltz from the 1985 film “Mask”. Finally, the last one that got me was the hornet. This one definitely hurt and made me break out into hives immediately. I never had allergies and that was the first time in my life that I ever got hives. Thankfully, there was a pharmacy nearby and I bought some antihistamine which seem to do the trick. I think that the worst part was that each day I could see the venom creeping up my arm. I was starting to worry, but by the third day everything started to go away.

What type of surveying makes up most of your work?

My team supports our geospatial group in all environmental, engineering, and GIS projects. The only two types of surveys we don’t do are construction stakeout for development and ALTA surveys. Besides that, we take care of all requests from all of our other departments and state partners. A lot of my focus nowadays is finding ways to implement modern technology to our projects. We have been doing a lot of work with sUAS. I have also been working on figuring out ways of joining surveying data on to a GIS platform.

Who are some of the surveyors that influenced your knowledge in the profession (in school or on the job)?

First, I would like to say that I have run into many, many surveyors that have influenced me in many ways and I don’t mean to skip over anyone. With that said, there are a handful of people I want to acknowledge that helped me out as I was making my way as a young surveyor. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for them. First are surveyors Ken West, Daryl E. Morgan, and Jerry Mamauag. Ken was the first surveyor I met who helped me finally get my foot in the door. Daryl was the traditional surveyor (literally pen and paper) that I was able to learn so much from, teaching me all the traditional methods of surveying. Jerry was the young surveyor that I relied heavily on to ask every question I had about the licensing process. Next, I would like to acknowledge two gentlemen on the geospatial side who helped me out a lot; Larry Swift and Michael Herzberger. Larry, similar to Ken, was the one who brought me in to the geospatial side of things. When Larry retired, Mike continued where Larry left off and has become a mentor of mine.

What was special about what you learned from them?

Daryl was great in teaching me all the traditional ways of land surveying. He is the best boundary surveyor I have had the pleasure of working with. Daryl relied on me heavily since I was the young “CAD Guy” in the office. I got to sit side by side with him as he showed me his process for every boundary survey or ALTA and how important it is to follow the footsteps of the previous surveyor. Jerry was the guy I could turn to for all of my questions when I was getting ready to pursue my license. He had recently passed all his exams when I was getting ready to go through the process. Larry was the one who brought me on to run the surveying department for the geospatial group. He was a huge supporter of surveying and always made sure I had everything I needed to get everything up and running. Michael continued right where Larry left off. With Mike, I have been able to work hand-in-hand with all the other members of the geospatial group. With his support and guidance, I have been able to build relationships and write up new contracts with our partners.

What advice would you give to new surveyors?

Reach out to your peers and start building good work relationships. I am naturally an introverted guy, but the one thing I learned quickly in the military was that you should always have a “go-to” person. That only happens by building good relationships with folks in and out of your line of work. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Also, look into joining a group. I never realized how much I enjoyed talking to people about surveying and mapping until I got more involved with MSS.

When you are not surveying, what do you like to do?

As single parent, I spent the majority of my time with my two awesome kids, Lillian and Matthew. Family vacations are definitely on the top of our list of favorite things to do. Besides that, I love to travel and I spend a good amount of time with my friends and hangout around DC.

How has surveying changed you? Technology!!! I know that I am considered young in this profession but the technology has definitely skyrocketed. Earlier, I talked about my old boss Daryl and how I got the opportunity to work side by side with him on a lot of projects. Well, part of the reason for that was because he hated how technology didn’t work the way it’s supposed to sometimes. That’s where I came in. I

remember that he used tells the same joke “you know what never runs out of battery, my pencil, ha ha”. Each time I would offer a small chuckle out of respect while I shook my head, letting him know that that was a bad one. When he retired, he gave me a lot of advice but the one I thing remember the most was when he said “don’t let technology leave you behind my boy. I did and I regret it every day”. I’ve learned to embrace the change and to never stop learning.

Click here to read the letter to Governor Hogan on HB 478

I would dare to say that I have had many remarkable experiences, but I will definitely always remember working on the Dulles Metrorail Project for the Silver Line (Phase 1). It was a fulfilling and interesting learning experience where every day was different. I had the opportunity to work in a tunnel, rail tracks, and layout all the piers and stations, etc. The experiences were endless and almost every day you would do something really challenging. At the end, the best gratification was seeing it become alive.

Describe one of your worst experiences while surveying?  In surveying there’s always good days and bad days, like in every other profession, but I have to admit that my worst experiences were always related to working in the field during cold weather. I’m from Puerto Rico and it was extremely hard for me getting used to the cold.

What type of surveying makes up most of your work?  Currently, I’m a project manager for residential builder services and I work on construction stakeout projects as well.    Who are some of the surveyors that influenced your knowledge in the profession (in school or on the job)? This is a hard question because I have met amazing and inspiring people throughout the years in every step of the way. I have had amazing teachers both academically and professionally whom I am really grateful for.  If I were to mention particular people I would probably forget some names and it would not be fair to leave anyone out. All I can say is that I have been very lucky to have so many colleagues, mentors, and friends that take their time, patience, and effort to train and help me become a better person and professional.

What was special about what you learned from them?          Attention to details         Do not be afraid to say something when you think there's a              mistake                           Ask questions         Confidence in what you know         Never give up

     What advice would you give to new surveyors? 

•            Keep up with technology and try to achieve the higher level of education possible

•            Pursue licensing, attend seminars and learn the most possible from other colleagues

•            Do not be afraid of asking questions, we all have questions, that’s how you learn

•            Promote the profession as much as possible
  

When you are not surveying, what do you like to do?  I love traveling, photography, visiting new places, writing, riding bicycle, hiking, relaxing and hanging out with family and friends.    How has surveying changed you? Surveying has not really changed me directly, but it has made me look at things in a different perspective. Since I started working as a surveyor I have realized that there are not a lot of women in the profession, and that maybe, as a group we should think of ideas how we could encourage more females to pursue surveying as their career path.

When did you start surveying and why? My path to this career was indirect. For reasons unknown, even to me, when asked in eighth grade what I wanted to pursue as a career, I replied, “I like maps.” This response landed me with an application and acceptance into the drafting program at Eastern Vocational Technical High School in Baltimore.   Upon graduation I accepted a job as a civil engineering drafter at Hicks Engineering Company, Inc. in Towson. I found the drafting dull and was seriously considering quitting to pursue going to college to study to be an English teacher.   This being 1988, computers were still a rare thing and the surveying department at Hicks had just received the first computer in the company. Ed Deiaco-Lohr was chief of surveys. I watched with interest as Ed and his team unpacked the computer and looked at it with some confusion. I had learned to program at the age of 10 on a Texas Instruments TI99/4 and was hacking with an Atari 1200XL by the age of 13 - setting up a PC was no problem. Ed then asked me if I could install software. Sure. I set about to installing Plus Three Software’s COGO/A+ (the precursor to their future TerraModel CAD software). I guess Ed was impressed, because in short order I was asked if I wanted to join surveys. I made the department switch, having little clue as to what I had just signed up for. It just seemed more interesting than drafting telephone conduits.   Thirty years on, I know I made the right choice. These seemingly small decisions have led me to a fruitful career and the opportunity to meet some of the finest people I know.

       Who are some of the surveyors that influenced your knowledge in the profession (in school or on the job)? What was special about what you learned from them?

Ed Deiaco-Lohr introduced me to the profession. He gave me the freedom to grow, exposing me to the many aspects of surveying. Ed also took me, as a young office technician, to the Baltimore Chapter MSS meetings. This allowed me to see the variety of directions this profession could take a licensed surveyor. It was from these early days that I could clearly see myself eventually getting licensed.

Walter Noyes and I have worked together at three companies. While working with Walt I reached the goal I had started with Ed and became a licensed professional land surveyor. Walt encouraged me to apply technological solutions to traditional problems while still honoring traditional sensibilities.   Walt was instrumental in acquiring a 3D laser scanner back in 2007. With this new tool I realized my entire career was starting on a new path. Walt also encouraged me to take on leadership roles within the MSS. Being a Past-President and still active board member, I guess you could say I took that encouragement seriously.

Pat Simon made me rethink my approach to boundary surveying. Pat also introduced me to geocaching.

Many years later, Mike Boyce would challenge me on a subdivision survey and make me rethink my boundary surveying approach all over again. My “Prudent Surveyor” seminar is a direct result of my interactions with Mike.

Alan Dragoo, Bill Henning, and Dave Doyle all provided me with an invaluable geodetic foundation. Land surveying was no longer just where, but where on Earth - and the right way to find that solution.

Keith Bailey helped me transition from a private development surveyor to a public/municipal surveyor. This shift greatly increased my business acumen and expanded my geographic range.

Tim Quinn has been very influential to me. Tim has a knack for seeing the pragmatic and strategic value of just about any issue. To this day he amazes me with his ability to get to the heart of many matters.

Bill Orsinger influenced me by giving me the opportunity to enter the world of mobile LiDAR. Providing mobile LiDAR services expanded my regional influence and allowed me to better understand business all along the East Coast. My view expanded from regional to national.

One of the things I am honored and privileged to say is, not only are these people mentors, but I can count many of them as trusted, personal friends.

This list would not be complete without someone I have never met and who is not a surveyor. Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and a marketer. His writings, particularly Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, have had a profound impact on my professional career. For anyone that has ever attended one of my seminars, many of my ideas and successes have come from Godin’s influence. He still actively writes, blogs, and podcasts and all of this still actively influences me to be a better me.

If you did not make the list, just know that everyone I meet influences me in some way. We are all connected. You are all deeply appreciated.

How has surveying changed you? Surveying has given me a rewarding life in so many ways. I have made lasting friendships with some great people. I have been able to explore places few people have ever seen. I get to play with some amazing toys and still call it work.  I have been humbly recognized by my peers. I've been on the radio, on YouTube, and I've been published in magazines. I have represented surveying, speaking in the halls of governance. Most importantly, I've taken care of my family with 30 years of continuous employment while knowing that my contributions make a difference. I will never be able to fully give back to the surveying profession all the profession has given to me.

Maryland has a robust program to provide quality GIS services through collective investment and effective application of data and systems with a goal to reach beyond government by making data freely and publicly available in consideration of privacy and security, Julia Fischer, Geospatial Information Officer at the Maryland Department of Information Technology reported to MSS members at a January 15 General Membership Meeting of MSS in Annapolis.

The platform for this program is “iMAP”, (http://imap.maryland.gov), a web-based archive and server of data, infrastructure, applications, interoperability, integration, contracts, and training.  Included is statewide aerial imager and LiDAR, as well as property data and geographic names.

Due to the Federal government shutdown, Roger Barlow of USGS was not able to attend and speak.  Through the efforts of MSS lobbyist Bill Kress, members were treated to an overview of the General Assembly session from Delegate Ned Carey (D-31A-Ann Arundel).  A member of the Economic Matters Committee which hears most surveying-related legislation in the General Assembly, Delegate Carey discussed expected legislation his approach to politics, and the important role surveyors play in the economy of Maryland.