"Hot Topics" in Surveying 2024 (4 PDHs/ includes 3 Ethics/Rules)

2/23/2024 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Shane Neally, RPLS and Connor Brown, RPLS

"Hot Topics" in Surveying 2024

This course will be a moderated panel discussion of Hot Topics in Surveying.  We will primarily cover discussions on ethics, standards, boundary surveying and business practices.  However, we will also cover other topics including, but not limited to: TSPS standards, technology, oil and gas surveying and history.

The moderators, Shane Neally, RPLS, and Connor Brown, RPLS, PLS, will be able to engage the attendees in real-time using a web-based software program. The attendees will be able to ask questions and answer polls via their smartphones.

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Robert "Shane" Neally, RPLS

Shane received his AAS Degree in Surveying in 1992 from Tyler Junior College and in 2000, obtained license as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.  Shane is Partner and Vice-President of Stanger Surveying Tyler LLC and has 30 years’ experience in surveying with 28 of those at Stanger, performing boundary, topographic, route surveying and oil and gas surveying. 

Shane developed and presented the “Becoming an SIT” seminar at the first TSPS spring Symposium and has co-presented the TSPS brand “Professional Ethics” course for TSPS Chapter No. 4.  Shane is an active member of TSPS, both on the Chapter and State level, having served as TSPS President in 2014 and has served as Chairman of the Chapter Activities Committee, Co-Chair of the SurPAC Committee, as Chapter 4 President and current Chapter 4 Secretary-Treasurer.  Shane is also the Treasurer of the Texas Surveying Foundation, Inc.  Shane was awarded the Chapter President of the Year award in 2004, the Young Surveyor of the Year award in 2010, Surveyor of the Year award in 2020 and several Presidential Awards.

 

Connor G. Brown, RPLS,PLS

Connor G. Brown, RPLS/PLS, obtained his BAAS Degree from The University of Texas at Tyler in 2002, achieved licensure as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor in Texas in 2012, and as a Professional Land Surveyor in New Mexico and Colorado in 2016 and in Oklahoma in 2018. Connor is the Vice President of ELS Surveying & Mapping, Inc. in Tyler and has 25 years’ experience in surveying including experience in boundary, ALTA, topographic, route, construction, and oil/gas projects in 80 counties in Texas and 2 counties in New Mexico.

Connor is a third-generation land surveyor and is an active member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors, both on the Chapter and State levels, having served as Director, Vice President, and President/Past President of Chapter 4, Chapter Representative of Chapter 23, and is currently in his second term as a State Director. Connor is a Past Chair of the TSPS Public Relations Committee and Past Chair of the TSPS Chapter Activities Committee. Connor was awarded the TSPS Young Surveyor of the Year in 2018, and received TSPS Presidential Awards in 2017 and 2018. Connor is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Surveying Education Foundation of Texas.

Business of Surveying Part I (4 PDHs includes 4 Ethics/Rules)

2/23/2024 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Robert Young, RPLS

Business of Surveying | Part I

If you are planning to open a land surveying business, or already run or work at one, this course is designed based on many years of business ownership attempts, failures, and successes, discover some answers to the question of Why 10 others (RPLS owners), made the decision to start their own businesses and explore the traits of leaders who are in our profession.  Learn more about what you think and say and how it has an impact on all areas of your life.

Who, What, When, Where, why, and a lot of details on the how's.
People are the most important part of your company, whether it is a one-man shop, or many people endeavor.

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Robert Young, RPLS 5400

Owner – Trans Texas Surveying and Mapping, Cleburne, Texas.

•              Member TSPS since the 1980’s 

•              Director GLIS 12+ years ago

•              Presidential Award 2008 – Geospatial Award

Graduated Tarleton – 1977 – B.S.

1977 – 1979 – Keeton Surveying Co. – Grand Prairie, Texas Worked with Harold Keeton, RPLS and Stephen Keeton, RPLS as brush cutter, chainman, and chigger magnet until I was taught to read the vernier with a plastic magnifying glass on K & E. transit.  Chain and transit only.  Nothing had battery except the International Harvester crew vehicle.

Left to pursue sales career -4 years Wiley Aluminum, Fort Worth, 8 years @ SW Bell Telephone, 2 years at WILD/LEICA, 1 year at Easy Drive, San Antoino, and then the pursuit that has landed him where he is today.

Partner in 2 companies prior to registration in Houston, Texas.

Started 1’st solo company in Buda/Wimberley Texas – 3 RPLS experiences there.

Purchased Frontier Surveying, started Young and Associates, Fort Worth / Cotulla, Texas

Purchased Dumas Land Surveying 2012, and renamed to Trans Texas – 2012

Mr. Young will elaborate on the details of the good and bad of his career as each experience was a learning experience, not in just land surveying, but people, and business. 

Survey Math 101 (Paraprofessional)

2/23/2024 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Valerie Zurcher, RPLS

Survey Math 101

This course will prepare students for topics covered in Survey Math 101 and will help prepare them for Level 1 of the NSPS Certified Survey Technician Exam.  Basic math computations relating to conventional surveying techniques will be demonstrated and real-field survey scenarios will be provided for attendees to solve. By the end of this course, attendees will be able to manipulate equations to solve for a missing variable, solve right triangles for the missing elements when given two known elements, and derive angles, distances, and new coordinates from given coordinates.

This class is designed to give an overview of basic math principles most often used in the land surveying profession.  The class will be participating in solving math problems using real-world examples in a group setting.

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Valerie Zurcher, RPLS

Val is a Registered Professional Land Surveyor in the Austin/Central Texas area. She began her survey career with a degree in survey technology from Vincennes University in Vincennes Indiana. She moved to Texas in 2002 and has been here ever since. With over 20 years of survey experience in some way, shape or form; she started as a rodman/eyeman in Houston, moving to Austin and San Antonio as a party chief and then as a survey technician/SIT. She earned her license in 2012 and has most recently settled in New Braunfels Texas. Her goal is to be more active in TSPS and encouraging continuing education where we can all learn from one another. 

ABC's of Ethics (4 PDHs, 4 Ethics/Rules)

2/24/2024 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Valerie Zurcher, RPLS

ABC's of Ethics

The ABC's of Ethics is designed to review the Canons of Ethics in a group setting. The second portion of the course will be covering examples of ethical issues that we surveyors are faced with along with an open discussion of the topics. 

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BIO

Valerie Zurcher, RPLS

Val is a Registered Professional Land Surveyor in the Austin/Central Texas area. She began her survey career with a degree in survey technology from Vincennes University in Vincennes Indiana. She moved to Texas in 2002 and has been here ever since. With over 20 years of survey experience in some way, shape or form; she started as a rodman/eyeman in Houston, moving to Austin and San Antonio as a party chief and then as a survey technician/SIT. She earned her license in 2012 and has most recently settled in New Braunfels Texas. Her goal is to be more active in TSPS and encouraging continuing education where we can all learn from one another. 

How to Prepare for the LSLS Exam (2 PDHs)

2/24/2024 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Presenter: Mark Neugebauer, RPLS, Stephen Blaskey, RPLS, LSLS, and Bill Merten RPLS, LSLS

How to Prepare for the LSLS Exam
This course will instruct LSLS candidates on how to prepare and take the LSLS examination.
It will focus on the various study and resource materials used to prepare for the LSLS exam as well as suggested/recommended strategies to take the LSLS exam. 

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Mark J. Neugebauer, LSLS/RPLS

Mark J. Neugebauer, LSLS/RPLS, is the Chief Surveyor/Deputy Director of Surveying Services for the Texas General Land Office (“GLO”) in Austin.  He currently serves as the official Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors designee of the GLO, representing Texas Land Commissioner, Dawn Buckingham, M.D..

Mr. Neugebauer received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas in 1986, and began his professional career practicing real estate appraisal.  In 1995, he accepted a position with the Surveying Division at the GLO.  After working in technical support roles, such as Engineering Technician and Engineering Assistant in land surveying, he was promoted to Land Surveyor I in 2002, after receiving registration as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.  In 2008, he was promoted to Land Surveyor II after receiving licensure as a Licensed State Land Surveyor (“LSLS”).

In 2015, Mr. Neugebauer was promoted to Deputy Director of Surveying Services for the GLO under Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.  He has been employed with the state agency for over 28 years and has served under five Texas Land Commissioners, five Chief Clerks, and two Directors of Surveying.  He has had the honor and privilege of being mentored, trained, and working alongside eleven LSLS’s during his career at the GLO.

Mr. Neugebauer served as Commissioner Bush’s official designee to the former Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying, while playing an active role on the LSLS Committee.  He is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (“TSPS”), the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and the local TSPS Capital Area Chapter 13.  He actively participates in the quarterly TSPS LSLS Forum, serves as a Liaison to the TBPELS Surveyor Advisory Committee, and is a member of the TBPELS LSLS Exam Grading Committee.

 

Stephen Blaskey, RPLS

• B.S. in Geographic Information Science from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
• Owner of High Tide Surveying since 2013
• Chair of the Academic Advisory Committee for the Surveying and GIS program at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.

 

William E. "Bill" Merten, RPLS, LSLS, PSM

Mr. Merten has 47 years of experience in land surveying, over 39 years as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor and 28 years as a Licensed State Land Surveyor in Texas.  He has been registered in multiple states (Missouri, Illinois, Louisiana, Florida and Texas) and is a recognized expert with state land surveys along with river and coastal boundaries.  He attended the University of Missouri – Rolla, majoring in Geological Engineering, prior to starting his surveying career.  He joined Cobb Fendley & Associates in 2007 as a Senior Project Surveyor and is now a Principal located in the Friendswood, Texas, office.  He has been active with the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors for many years and is a past President of the Gulf Coast Chapter 9 and the State Membership Chairman for 2 years.  In 2013, Mr. Merten was appointed by then Governor Rick Perry as a LSLS member of the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying.  During his appointment, he was chairman of the LSLS Committee, Legislative Committee, Rules Committee, liaison to the Item Writers Exam Committee and a member of the Executive Committee.  Mr. Merten is currently a member of the LSLS Exam Workgroup with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.  Mr. Merten has worked throughout the State of Texas and has performed numerous Upland, Gradient Boundary and Coastal Boundary Surveys.  Mr. Merten has also served as an expert witness on a number of boundary cases.

 

 

Survey Math 301 (Paraprofessional)

2/24/2024 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: George Forbis-Stokes

Survey Math 301

Math 301 serves to be beneficial to those reviewing their math skills for levels 1-3 of the CST exam, the SIT exam, or seeking a better understanding of the basic math behind the mechanics of surveying.  This course demonstrates intermediate math computations relating to conventional surveying techniques and provides real field survey scenarios for attendees to solve. Topics presented include: ABC’s of Trigonometry, Algebraic Manipulation, Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines Formulas.  By the end of this seminar attendees will be able to; apply the ABC’s of Mathematics to use Law of Sines and Law of Cosines to solve for missing elements of oblique triangles.

Attendees should bring a calculator with trigonometric functions and be familiar with its use.

Recommended to take Survey of Math 101 prior to this course.

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George Forbis-Stokes, RPLS (retired)

George Forbis-Stokes, is a veteran TSPS Course Developer and Course Speaker.

George has presented TSPS Brand Courses for numerous years, beginning with the first Symposium in College Station, Texas. George graduated from Texas A&M University in 1979

with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering. He is a past president of the West Central Texas, Chapter 18. George now lives in the Abilene area after retiring from a 40-year career of land surveying for a local engineering and land surveying company.

Preparing a Surveyor's Report (2 PDHs)

2/24/2024 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Mark Neugebauer, RPLS, LSLS & Dorothy Taylor, RPLS

Preparing a Surveyor's Report 
This course will instruct participants on how to prepare a Surveyor's Report in accordance with the Texas Administrative Code, Title 31, Part 1, Chapter 7, Rule 7.7. It will focus on the fundamentals of preparing a Surveyor's Report for submittal to the Texas General Land Office by an LSLS or the fundamentals of preparing a Surveyor's Report for submittal to a client or other interested party by an RPLS. 

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Mark Neugebauer, LSLS, RPLS

Mark J. Neugebauer, LSLS/RPLS, is the Chief Surveyor/Deputy Director of Surveying Services for the Texas General Land Office (“GLO”) in Austin.  He currently serves as the official Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors designee of the GLO, representing Texas Land Commissioner, Dawn Buckingham, M.D..

Mr. Neugebauer received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas in 1986, and began his professional career practicing real estate appraisal.  In 1995, he accepted a position with the Surveying Division at the GLO.  After working in technical support roles, such as Engineering Technician and Engineering Assistant in land surveying, he was promoted to Land Surveyor I in 2002, after receiving registration as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.  In 2008, he was promoted to Land Surveyor II after receiving licensure as a Licensed State Land Surveyor (“LSLS”).

In 2015, Mr. Neugebauer was promoted to Deputy Director of Surveying Services for the GLO under Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.  He has been employed with the state agency for over 28 years and has served under five Texas Land Commissioners, five Chief Clerks, and two Directors of Surveying.  He has had the honor and privilege of being mentored, trained, and working alongside eleven LSLS’s during his career at the GLO.

Mr. Neugebauer served as Commissioner Bush’s official designee to the former Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying, while playing an active role on the LSLS Committee.  He is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (“TSPS”), the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and the local TSPS Capital Area Chapter 13.  He actively participates in the quarterly TSPS LSLS Forum, serves as a Liaison to the TBPELS Surveyor Advisory Committee, and is a member of the TBPELS LSLS Exam Grading Committee.

 

Dorothy J. Taylor, RPLS

• Previous Member of the Item Writers Committee for the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying 
• Current Member of the SAC, Survey Advisory Committee for the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveying
• Guest Lecturer in Land Survey Class at Texas State University in San Marcos

GLO Working Sketches (4 PDHs)

2/24/2024 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Mark Neugebauer, RPLS, LSLS & Jason Jernigan, RPLS, PMP

GLO Working Sketches

Over the years, Licensed State Land Surveyors (LSLS) and other surveying professionals have prepared thousands of Working Sketches, which are archived at the Texas General Land Office (GLO). As a part of their application for the LSLS exam, all applicants are required to create a Working Sketch. This course offers a comprehensive overview of the GLO's records, detailing their history and providing explanations of Working Sketches from various parts of the state. It also includes instruction on interpreting original field notes and the preparation of a Working Sketch. The course is interactive, featuring small group exercises and culminating in a large group project. In this project, all attendees collaborate to prepare an actual Working Sketch using real GLO field notes. This course is beneficial for everyone, from novice field crew members to experienced Registered Professional Land Surveyors (RPLS), offering valuable insights and learning opportunities.

This course will instruct participants on how to prepare a Working Sketch of original land grants surveys using established methodology, fundamentals, and principles accepted by the Texas General Land Office. 

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Jason Jernigan, RPLS, PMP

Jason started his surveying career in the US Army as a Field Artillery Surveyor in 1997.  He’s a graduate of Tyler Junior College, UT Tyler, and UT Dallas.  He earned his Texas RPLS license in 2008.  Jason has been on the Cut Off Score Exam Committee for TBPELS since 2009 and has taught TSPS seminars since 2011.  Jason is currently the Chief Operating Officer at ARS Engineers in Dallas, Texas.

 

Mark J. Neugebauer, LSLS/RPLS

Mark J. Neugebauer, LSLS/RPLS, is the Chief Surveyor/Deputy Director of Surveying Services for the Texas General Land Office (“GLO”) in Austin.  He currently serves as the official Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors designee of the GLO, representing Texas Land Commissioner, Dawn Buckingham, M.D..

Mr. Neugebauer received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas in 1986, and began his professional career practicing real estate appraisal.  In 1995, he accepted a position with the Surveying Division at the GLO.  After working in technical support roles, such as Engineering Technician and Engineering Assistant in land surveying, he was promoted to Land Surveyor I in 2002, after receiving registration as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.  In 2008, he was promoted to Land Surveyor II after receiving licensure as a Licensed State Land Surveyor (“LSLS”).

In 2015, Mr. Neugebauer was promoted to Deputy Director of Surveying Services for the GLO under Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.  He has been employed with the state agency for over 28 years and has served under five Texas Land Commissioners, five Chief Clerks, and two Directors of Surveying.  He has had the honor and privilege of being mentored, trained, and working alongside eleven LSLS’s during his career at the GLO.

Mr. Neugebauer served as Commissioner Bush’s official designee to the former Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying, while playing an active role on the LSLS Committee.  He is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (“TSPS”), the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and the local TSPS Capital Area Chapter 13.  He actively participates in the quarterly TSPS LSLS Forum, serves as a Liaison to the TBPELS Surveyor Advisory Committee, and is a member of the TBPELS LSLS Exam Grading Committee.

Quality Control - Plat & Descriptions (2 PDHs)

2/24/2024 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Presenter: Mike Grogan, RPLS, LSLS and Jarrod Schnell RPLS, PS

Quality Control - Plat &  Descriptions

Quality is essential in land surveying. Clients are paying for a professional service, and should receive a professional (and quality) product. Reviewing our own work and the work of our staff does take some time, but it is well worth the investment. We will examine the importance of quality in our survey deliverables. We will also cover some best practices and tips for training staff in the review process.

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Jarrod Schnell, RPLS

Jarrod Schnell has been involved in land surveying for 18 years. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Surveying & Mapping from the University of Akron. Prior to surveying, he earned degrees in Computer Science and worked in the IT field.

Originally licensed in Ohio, Jarrod worked in various surveying roles for the State of Ohio, the Cleveland Metroparks, and in operating his own surveying company. He obtained his Texas RPLS in 2020 and moved to Texas, initially joining TxDOT’s Waco District in early 2021.

Jarrod is currently a Land Surveyor in the Survey Production Section within the TxDOT Right of Way Division. In this role he supports the surveying needs of TxDOT Districts and Divisions, and assists with mentoring surveying staff.

 

Mike Grogan, RPLS, LSLS

A Registered Professional Land Surveyor since 1999 and a Licensed State Land Surveyor since 2010, a large majority of the surveying performed involved ranches ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 acres in size.  As a result, many hours were spent reviewing records of the Texas General Land Office and searching for original land grant corners.  Leaving private practice in 2016 to take a position at the Texas General Land Office and currently part of the senior survey staff.

Resources of the General Land Office (2 PDHs)

2/24/2024 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Mike Grogan RPLS, LSLS

Resources of the General Land Office

This course will cover a brief history of the Texas General Land Office, the records it has retained, how to locate certain records and why these records are important to land surveyors.  My goal will be to educate others on the resources available, effective methods to locate and interpret them.

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Mike Grogan, RPLS, LSLS

A Registered Professional Land Surveyor since 1999 and a Licensed State Land Surveyor since 2010, a large majority of the surveying performed involved ranches ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 acres in size.  As a result, many hours were spent reviewing records of the Texas General Land Office and searching for original land grant corners.  Leaving private practice in 2016 to take a position at the Texas General Land Office and currently part of the senior survey staff.