MSS
Workforce Activities Featured in P.O.B. Magazine and NSPS News & Views
Implementation of a
workforce
development initiative by the Maryland Society ofSurveyors (
MSS
) and its Baltimore Chapter is featured in the cover story of this month's
P.O.B. magazine
and in the NSPS e-newsletter,
News & Views
.
The program is designed to introduce high school students to the field of surveying and begin a career path for the next generation of surveyors. All MSS chapters are encouraged to contact their local workforce development board. A sample email and list of local board is available on the
NSPS website.
Firms and organizations that are hosting interns this summer include:
Baltimore City Surveys, Baltimore County Surveys, Century Engineering, KCI, Precision Measurements & Wallace Montgomery.
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Enter the Annual Plat Competition
Are you getting your outstanding survey plats ready for the
MSS
Plat Competition?
This contest is an excellent way to recognize the work you, or your employees, have performed, as well as an ethical, professional and effective way to market your firm's expertise. Winners of the
MSS competition are also eligible to compete in the NSPS national
plat competition.
Entry deadline is
September 15, 2017. For rules and entry procedures,
click here.
Entries will be displayed and award winners announced at the Maryland Society of Surveyors Annual Fall Conference and Exhibition,
October 5-7, 2017
in Hunt Valley, MD.
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Chesapeake Chapter Partners with Hancock's Resolution
MSS members David Comer (Macris, Hendricks & Glascock P.A.) and Bill Bowe
r
(Charles P. Johnson & Assoc., Inc.) visited
Hancock
's Resolution, one of the very few remaining 18th century
farmhouses in Pasadena to give a presentation on Colonial era surveying instruments and techniques. It was the first presentation between the Friends of Hancock's Resolution and the Chesapeake Chapter of MSS.
For more information on Hancock's Resolution,
click here.
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Upcoming Events
Stay up-to-date with these upcoming MSS events.
CST Exam Review
Baltimore City, MD
Saturday, July 29, 2017
CST Exam
Baltimore City, MD
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Storm Drain Pipe Design
Arnold, MD
September 9 - December 9, 2017
2017 MSS Fall Conference
Hunt Valley, MD
October 5 - October 7, 2017
Mason-Dixon 250
th Anniversary Event
Mount Morris, PA
October 13-15, 2017
Click here
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Member Spotlight : TJ Frazier
This month's featured member is TJ Frazier, Immediate Past President
of MSS and the newest member of the
Board for Professional Land Surveyors, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation for the State of Maryland.
Maryland Surveyor (MS):
When did you start surveying?
TJ Frazier (TF): My surveying career began in Spring 1987, so an even 30 years ago. I've always felt I was in surveying at a great time. I did much of my early field work using a WWII-era Hilger-Watts theodolite and a chain, along with hand comps using an HP15c (which I still use regularly). And I've moved from hand drafting to CAD, field-to-finish, and modeling. I have been lucky to enjoy a career that bridges from the old school to the high tech of today.
MS:
Why did you get into surveying?
TF: I had a couple of drafting courses in high school which, of course, in those days was hand drafting. I had a strong interest in this direction and, immediately following high school, I entered UMD at College Park to study architecture. I quickly found that commuting to College Park wasn't for me and withdrew to attend Frederick Community College, with the intent to return to UMD. That plan never came to fruition and I began working a variety of jobs, including one as a drafter. After a couple of years of this, a civil engineer I knew was working at a local surveying/engineering firm in need of drafting help and suggested I apply. I was offered the position but, knowing nothing of surveying, was sent to the field to learn about what I would be drafting. From there on, I continued to work in both the field and office environments, and worked my way up through the ranks.
MS:
Describe one of your best experiences while surveying?
TF:
It's hard to cite just one thing. Every stone I find is a great experience and I still get a kick out of checking in to control with RTN GPS compared to how we used to run control.
One experience of particular note from the field was locating the Mason-Dixon crownstone atop Sidling Hill. Always an active and interesting bunch, the Appalachian Chapter supported the Mason Dixon Line Preservation Partnership for several years by locating line stones in the vicinity of Frederick and Washington Counties. Some stones are more difficult to reach and some more interesting than others; this stone was both. I was with Matt Brien that day and we were lucky enough to be assigned stone #133. (As it turns out, this was the first stone set during the 1902 resurvey by the state of Maryland. Confronted with the ordeal of surmounting Sidling Hill, Messrs. Mason and Dixon decided they had enough of dragging wagonloads of stones through the wilds of colonial America, and left them to be found and set some 130 years later.) We obtained permission to cross private property to access the gas pipeline that runs just north of the Mason-Dixon line in this area. We were traveling in my 4WD Nissan pickup and it was a hairy trip up, down, and across the slope of the mountain. We recovered the stone in an area of rock outcrop very near an old, abandoned gas valve hut on the ridge. I always recall that day when traveling through the Sidling Hill cut.
While not a field experience, I would like to note something that is still directly related to, and an important part of, my surveying career. That is, my involvement in MSS and the friendships and connections I've made. It has, at times, been challenging, frustrating, exhausting but, overall, rewarding and satisfying. I've heard MSS referred to as a Good Ole Boys club (and even harbored that feeling myself in the past); however, having been through the ranks I can tell you it's not. There are times when someone has an agenda, but 99% of the time that agenda is simply to be a part of trying to make things better for all of us. MSS is far from perfect but, as always, rather than simply complain from the outside, get involved, see firsthand what the situation is - and then complain and motivate all you want to improve it.
MS:
Describe one of your worst experiences while surveying?
TF: In the mid-1990s, my firm was hired to perform a topographic survey of a park in Montgomery County. At that time, we used an early Topcon total station that would give only a slope distance, while horizontal and vertical angles were read from micrometers. My crew was assigned the job knowing little about the scope. We arrived on site that spring to find several ball fields, some playgrounds, parking areas, and plenty of open space... the perfect job for summer! But much to our dismay, we quickly discovered that all of those nice, open areas were NOT included in our scope. We were there specifically to survey the wooded area around the perimeter of the park - including location of all trees 6" DBH or larger. And to top things off, the park was a former landfill so the ground was an unending sea of mounds and depressions. What was to be a quick, easy job turned into a full summer of miserable, tedious work. My handwritten notes tallied something on the order of 100 loose leaf pages by the time we finished.
MS:
When did you get licensed and do you have more than one license?
TF: The first license I obtained was Maryland, in 2001. At that point I had been working in surveying for 14 years and went the experience route. This meant I was exempted from taking the Fundamentals exam (at that time, the law has since changed). A few years later, when applying for my West Virginia license, I discovered other states still required the Fundamentals, which meant I needed to go back and complete that exam. I did so, obtained my West Virginia license (one of the hardest exams I've taken) and shortly after, Delaware.
MS:
What type of surveying makes up most of your work?
TF: Most of my experience has been related to land development. So a great deal of boundary surveying, metes and bounds descriptions, plats, along with a fair amount of topo and stakeout work. I've also had some laser scanning experience over the last 10 years which has been quite interesting.
MS:
Who are some of the surveyors that influenced your knowledge in the profession (in school or on the job)?
TF: By far my biggest mentor has been Mike VanSant, whom I went to work for that fine spring day 30 years ago. Mike has been my employer for much of my career and had wide-ranging influence, but particularly on my boundary work and descriptions. Another strong influence has been Draper Sutcliffe, who I have great respect for. I took my first surveying courses with him at Frederick Community College. One highlight not mentioned above was being the master of ceremonies at the recognition dinner the Appalachian Chapter hosted for Sut. He protested against the attention but it was a grand evening and well deserved. I never worked for him but, coincidently, Mike acquired Sut's records so I did have some first-hand experience with his work which is top notch. From these men I learned the technical side of surveying but, perhaps more importantly, I also learned about character, integrity, and reputation. We surveyors like to talk about "following in the footsteps" of our predecessors. Another way of looking at this phrase relates to the reputation each of us builds through our work; I hope my footsteps follow the same path as these gentlemen.
MS:
What advice would you give to new surveyors?
TF:
1)
Surveying is a great career. It's not the hardest job in the world but it's not easy. Expect to work hard to be successful. No one owes you anything except an opportunity to prove yourself. That said, don't be afraid to ask for help or guidance; many of us are quite willing to share our time and knowledge.
2)
You don't know what you don't know. If there's one thing I've learned about this profession, it's that there is always something else to learn. As with all aspects of life, learn all you can and prepare yourself fully; then approach the world with confidence but not arrogance.
3)
Take advantage of MSS and the opportunities for networking and expanding your knowledge. Also, get involved and give something back to your profession.
MS:
When you are not surveying, what do you like to do?
TF: I've been happily married to my lovely wife, Laura, for 18 years. We have two daughters who keep us quite busy. I enjoy reading but it takes up a lot of limited time. When I get the chance, I enjoy relaxing on the beach or on the boat at the lake in our neighborhood. And I'm a big fan of Formula1 racing.
MS:
How has surveying changed since you started?
TF:
One answer to this question can be taken from the name of our national exam: Principles and Practices. Surveying has a long history and strong traditions that will likely - hopefully - remain ever constant. Those traditions involve the Principles mentioned above: character, integrity, and reputation. We need to be vigilant that these always remain at the core of our profession.
The change has occurred within the Practices, and this is clearly the result of technology. The tools and methods we use to collect data have changed enormously. Today, on a daily basis, we use equipment that was only dreamt about when I began surveying. This has changed not only the ways and amounts of data we collect, but it has impacted us at the personal - the people - level. The paths for advancement through the ranks no longer exist as they once did. Younger people, if you can find them, are often thrust into positions without understanding the work they are performing. This is dangerous on many levels; indeed, some even say our technology is killing our profession. As has often been said, the only constant is change, and the profession needs to continue to adapt to the environment in which we find ourselves.
MS: What question did you expect us to ask that we didn't ask? What is the answer?
TF: Something regarding the future of surveying. I suppose I provided half an answer to that above. But I think half an answer if about the best you can give to such a question, because no one really knows. I'm sure in another 20-30 years the next generation will be using tools and techniques that haven't yet been thought of. Some trends are there that will likely continue: faster collection of greater quantities of more precise data. Perhaps the surveyor's role will be to ensure the accuracy of that data, guard against the improper use of more readily available data (think GPS), and turn that data into valuable information. It's still an exciting time to be in surveying. The key is adaptability and staying relevant in an even more high-tech world.
Thanks for the opportunity to share some thoughts.
Do you know of an MSS member that should be featured in a future Spotlight? Contact
Paul Ewell, MSS Membership Chairman, Paul.Ewell@stvinc.com.
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Do You Have Your MSS Apparel?
Did you know you can order shirts and other apparel with the MSS logo? Show pride in your profession and state professional society.
Click here to order on-line through a special MSS page on Land's End.
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MSS Past President Appointed by Governor to Board of Professional Land Surveyors
Congratulations to TJ Frazier who took the oath of office in the Frederick County Courthouse to assume a position on the Board of Professional Land Surveyors. Appointed by Governor Hogan to the licensing board under the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Frazier has resigned his position as Immediate Past President on the MSS Board of Directors.
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