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Thanks to all who have voted already! On, or about, December 1, 2019 NSPS members should have received an email message regarding the 2020 Election, noting that the deadline for voting is December 21 at 5 PM Eastern Standard Time. Within the message is the link "View Info" which leads to information about the candidates. Instructions for voting are also provided near the bottom of the message the wording "Click here to cast your vote:" appears. There is no link to this wording. In order to vote, one must "click on" the https:// link directly below the wording.

Adams Surveying

Anonymous Donors

Britain & Crawford

Chapter 2 - North Central Texas Members

Chapter 5 - Dallas members

James Putnam from Geoshack

Chapter 11 members Noel Nicholls, Dorothy Taylor and Chester Varner participated  in the Save Texas History Symposium on Saturday, September 15th.  They helped man the TSPS booth and talked many "history buff" attendees.  Ms. Nicholls added surveys and maps to the booth display and were quite the conversation piece.

TSPS exhibits at this annual event sponsored by the Texas General Land Office.  Jamie Gillis, PR chair and his committee continued to work towards public awareness of the surveying profession through exhibiting at these types of events. 

At Craig's Final Point ceremony each of the seminar contributors spoke about what Craig meant to them.

Pictured L-R:

Monte Sheppard - wrote the articles for HPE and helped Maxey Sheppard with class instruction
Maxey Sheppard, RPLS, LSLS - Instructor: Original Traverse Class, Previously Gradient Boundary Class
Robby Christopher, RPLS, LSLS - Instructor: Ethic and Worked with Monte on Traverse Class and Gradient
J. Stan Piper, RPLS, LSLS - Instructor: Research and Recovery
Michel Newton, RPLS, LSLS - Instructor: Following the Footsteps
J.D. Davis, RPLS, LSLS - Instructor: Research and Recovery
Dow Kelly, RPLS - work for all 7 HPE's and seminar cook

• Improve the next hybrid geoid model, GEOID18
  
• Improve the 2022 Transformation Tool , which will enable conversions to the new vertical datum in 2022 and be integrated into the NGS Coordinate Conversion and Transformation Tool (NCAT); and
  
• Help the local surveying community.

In support, the Chapter observed the NGS Monument “CALLO 2” (on Ocean Drive, East of Ward Island/TAMUCC and the Church) on Friday March 23rd from 2:30p to 4:30p. 

GISSO friends were there to join them! 

Datasheet: https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=AH1262

Great job, y'all!

My sincere thanks for your participation in our career day. You always get asked back when you catch the interest of our students like you did a few years ago.

 You really kept the attention of our students with your power point. The part I saw was so very interesting about the last border markers and I enjoyed the part about the ‘3 surveyors and the other guy’. The part about the pyramids probably opened some minds and made some connections for the students. Sometime, I would like to be able to view your power point all the way through.

To have an expert share their time and experience really does make an impact on students and gets their minds focused on their opportunities. You may never know the impact you have had on these students but I can assure you, it did start some wheels turning. 

Attached are the photos taken by our librarian.

Thank you for making time in your schedule for our students, 

Diane Knowles
Professional School Counselor
Birdwell Elementary

The Primary Election is March 6, 2018.

Be sure to vote!

Pictured: David A. Rolbiecki, his wife Judy, and Brigadier General Tracy R. Norris

Chief Warrant Officer Four, David A. Rolbiecki, retired from the Army on Friday, February 9, after a 35 year distinguished career. David is not only a dear friend, he's a true citizen warrior serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and various other assignments around the world. Among other achievements, he's a Bronze Star recipient. He's also a fellow Registered Professional Land Surveyor in Texas (RPLS #5919 and TSPS Chapter 13 - Capital Area member) and a candidate for Licensed State Land Surveyor. He is my Vice-Chair on the TSPS Standards Committee and invaluable asset to me and the surveying profession. He and his wife, Judy, allowed us to share his special day and we thank him from the bottom of our hearts for his service, dedication and sacrifices he and his family have made for our county.  

Philip Adams, RPLS #5610
TSPS Director

Surveyors also in attendance: Bill O’Hara, Davey Edwards, Miguel Escobar and Former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson

Great job, Chapter 12!

Way to go, y'all! 

Pictured left to right:
Doug Turner (front), Shaun Piepkorn (middle), Travis Crocker (back),
JT (front), Mike Arthur (middle), Jeremy Ruckman (back), Tyler Carter,
Patrick Baldasaro, Andy Shafer, Brad Sparr

Special thanks to Rick Walker of G4 Spatial Technologies and Dan Ricarddi of Martin instrument. Rick was a co-chairman and helped to secure sponsors and donations. Dan found himself last minute de-boning 20 lbs of chicken and helping with the cooking! Chester Varner really stepped in to help keep everything organized and as always Darryl Zercher was outstanding as weigh master and Henry Kuehlem stepping in last minute as assistant weigh master.

Check out the photos from the Tournament on the TSPS Facebook page (no login required)!

Thank you all so much!

Trisha Lund
Chapter Activities Chair & Membership Co-Chair

Submitted by Chris Freeman, Chapter 5 member, TSPS Director and TSFI Trustee

Dallas Chapter No. 5 received $1,500.00 in donations to its John F. Pierce Scholarship Fund. Lina T. Ramey & Associates, Inc. (LTRA) contributed $1,000.00, and Chapter member Chris Freeman donated $500.00. Chris and LTRA had pledged the monies at the April Chapter meeting, hoping to prompt other members and firms to support Chapter 5 survey education efforts. 

The Fund also got a boost with the recently completed 18th Annual Tim Mireur Memorial Golf Tournament, held on May 21.  The Tourney attracted more than 90 golfers, at least 15 Hole Sponsors, and a couple attendees that need to review their scorekeeping skills(the usual suspects). The Scholarship Fund received $3,294.80 after all expenses were paid. TC Crocker from Adams Surveying Company did an excellent job at organizing a fun event that Chapter members look forward to every year, and that ultimately benefits many Dallas area surveying students.

For years, Chapter 5 has offered its members and their employees the opportunity to utilize the Chapter scholarship monies to help pay for survey related educational expenses, even making the scholarship monies available to employees of Chapter 2 members when enrolled in any of the survey courses offered at North Lake College through the Dallas County Community College District. Enrollment in survey courses has been strong the past few semesters, a reflection of a strong local economy. The courses offer area paraprofessionals pursuing licensure a local option to obtain college credit hours, and the courses also attract Construction Technology students to explore the surveying profession. Scholarships  used by eligible students cover course fees, textbooks, and calculators. Chapter 5, led mostly by John Pierce’s efforts, has nurtured the program for nearly 20 years. The Chapter has an excellent working relationship and partnership with a supportive College District staff. College credit survey courses offered at North Lake College include:

1. Introduction to Surveying - SRVY 1301 (Chris Freeman)
   
2. Surveying Measurement - SRVY 1309  (Paul Hubert)
   
3. Surveying Calculations - SRVY 1315  (Paul Hubert/Chris Freeman)
   
4. Land Surveying -  SRVY 1341 (various Instructors)
   
5. Geodetic Surveying and Mappin - SRVY 2331 (Vasileios Kalogirou)
   
6. Legal Principles I - SRVY 2343 (Jason Jernigan)
   
7. Legal Principals II - SRVY 2344 (Jason Jernigan)
   

As a reminder to all TSPS members, the TSFI Ray Wisdom Reception and Benefit Auction, which annually raises thousands of scholarship dollars for Texas surveying students, will be held this year on Friday, August 4 at the Omni La Mansion Hotel in San Antonio following the 2017 Strategic Planning event earlier that day. Members, Chapters, firms and vendors are encouraged to attend this fun event, and to also consider a donation of monies or auction items so that the auction will be successful in serving the present and future surveyors of Texas.

These donations make it possible for NSPS to continue its long-standing commitment to introduce the Surveying profession to potential future surveyors during their experience in earning the Surveying Merit Badge. The Surveying Merit Badge is one of the relatively few among the 57 original badges to have been continually offered since the merit badge program was created in 1911.

TSPS Chapter 17 has recently started assisting Riverside Trades and Industry and also helped fund a second team to advance to the State competition.

The final standings and scores (out of 1,000 points) are as follows:

1. Duncanvville High School (Dallas Area) – 852
2. Duncanville High School (Dallas Area) – 837
3. Dubiski Career Center (Dallas Area) – 787
4. Birdville Center of Advanced Technology (Fort Worth Area) – 657
5. Riverside Trades and Industry (El Paso Area) – 634
6. Riverside Trades and Industry (El Paso Area) – 626
7. Wylie High School (Dallas Area) – 576
8. James Pace High School (Brownsville Area) – 549
9. James Pace High School (Brownsville Area) – 549
10. Terry High School (Houston Area) – 441
11. Robert Turner College & Career High School (Houston Area) – 434
12. James Pace High School (Brownsville Area) – 426
13. Terry High School (Houston Area) – 416
14. Sidney Lanier High School (San Antonio Area) – 361
15. Sidney Lanier High School (San Antonio Area) - 309

Chapter 17 donates $825.00 for students to attend SkillsUSA State Competition in Corpus Christi. Pictured Sal Torres (left) and Charles Gutierrez (right).

Chapter 2 member and TSPS Director & Public Relations Chair, Jamie Gillis, visited with more than 100 eager-to-learn students at Otis Brown Elementary School in Irving, Texas. 

Friday, March 10, 2017

Chapter 2 member and TSPS Director & Public Relations Chair, Jamie Gillis, shared a 45 minute presentation on Land Surveying and then a QA session for about 200 students (all of third and fourth grade) for "Discovery Day" at Carroll Elementary in Southlake, TX. The students were extremely engaged (as were the teachers) and seemed really excited about the opportunities that exist in Land Surveying!