TSPS: How/why did you get into surveying?

Richard: I attended the summer surveying camp at Texas A&M University, where we were taken out of the classroom and given field and office tasks typical to a professional land surveying firm. The degree of precision required in the field and the research required for boundary construction in the office intrigued me, and it was apparent that each project would be unique and pose a new set of challenges. Because of this experience, it was evident that a career in land surveying would never be uninteresting. I was hired by Jon Hodde in 2009, and the experience gained under his mentorship was extremely beneficial. Making daily decisions to do your job the right way or the wrong way becomes habitual, and following Jon’s example allowed me to know the difference.

TSPS: Why did you join TSPS?

Richard: After being hired on as a survey technician at Hodde & Hodde Land Surveying in Brenham, I began meeting several TSPS members through networking. I realized that TSPS members not only care about the current state of the profession, but also strive to ensure that the future of land surveying is bright. I then began to make efforts to surround myself with surveyors that had this mentality, and have enjoyed the experience ever since.

TSPS: What is your most memorable surveying moment?

Richard: Jon and I were in the field one day finishing a survey while trying to beat an incoming thunderstorm. We were about a mile walk from the truck when we completed the field work, and the storm was on top of us. We could see lightning beginning to strike between us and the truck, so we were on alert. At a certain point, we both saw a red blast of light, felt the ground shake, and the next thing we knew, we were both on the ground looking at each other, not knowing what had happened. We then noticed that a giant oak tree about 50 feet away from us was black and smoking at the top from a lightning strike, which kicked off the series of events. Needless to say, we were relieved to get back in the truck and on the way back to the office.

Richard's Favorites:

Color: Maroon
Food: Ribeye Steak
Animal: My Pyrador dog, Paige
Singer/Band/Group: Anything 80's or 90's and Country Music
Hobbies: Spending time on my family ranch in Lampasas County

Richard is currently the TSPS Chapter 20 - Brazos Valley President and works for Railroad Infrastructure & Terminal Development, LLC in Brookshire, TX.