hio Surveying News A publication of the Ohio Society of Professional Surveyors
Straub Surveying’s Most Interesting Project Summer 2026
Ohio Surveying News Summer 2026
Table of Contents Greetings from the OSPS President............. 3 From the Editor’s Desk ................................ 4 Our Most Interesting Project ...................... 5 OSPS Fall Seminar ...................................... 7 OSPS Reaches Out to Future Surveyors...... 8 Welcome New Members .............................. 9 Congratulations New Licensees .................. 9 OSPS Member Spotlight............................ 10 Have You Renewed Your OSPS Membership? ............................................. 11 Thoughts on Professional Practice and Education - Business and Management in Education .................................................. 12 PLSO PAC ....................... Inside Back Cover Sustaining Members ................... Back Cover
2026 OSPS State Officers President - Joshua Mihelcic, P.E., P.S. President-Elect - Raymond Foos, P.S. Secretary - Andrew Jordan, P.S. Treasurer - Patrick M. Ernst, P.S., PLS NSPS Director - Thomas Silva, P.S. Immediate Past President - Jonathan Link, P.S. The Ohio Surveying News is the official publication of the Ohio Society of Professional Surveyors and is published as a service for the surveyors of Ohio and the profession in general. Opinions expressed in articles and editorials in this newsletter are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of OSPS or any professional firm, governmental agency, or university department employing such authors. Patrick M. Ernst, P.S., PLS, Editor Gary Schuller, P.S., OSN Committee Chair
2026 OSPS State Committee Chairs Awards & Recognition ..... Kevin Woeste, P.S., PLS Communications ...................... Raymond Foos, P.S. Fundraising ................................Jonathan Link, P.S. Legislation ..................... Stephen McCall, P.E., P.S. Management Review .....Joshua Mihelcic, P.E., P.S. Membership ...............................Jonathan Link, P.S. Nominating .............................. Raymond Foos, P.S. Ohio Surveying News ................ Gary Schuller, P.S. Past Presidents Council .............Jonathan Link, P.S. Political Action ....... Richard Fredrickson, P.E., P.S. Program-Annual Conference......Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S. Program-Fall Seminar.............. Raymond Foos, P.S. Scholarship ....................... Matthew Newsome, P.S. Scholarship Fund Board ........ Franklin Snyder, P.S. Trig-Star.................................... Joseph Fenicle, P.S. Website & Social Media ........ Terrence Wright, P.E., P.S. Workforce Development ........... Thomas Silva, P.S. Special Committees 2022 Survey Datum ................. Raymond Foos, P.S. State Line .............................Dean Ringle, P.E., P.S. Strategic Planning .............. Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S. Young Surveyors Network...... Jonathan Youmans, P.S.
2026 OSPS Chapter Delegates Askega ................................... Franklin Snyder, P.S. Central Ohio ................................. Mark Smith, P.S. Cincinnati...................................... Scott Huber, P.S. Cleveland ................................. Michael Straub, P.S. Congress Lands............................... Isaac King, P.S. Firelands ................. Richard Fredrickson, P.E., P.S. Miami Valley ......................... Patrick M. Ernst, P.S. Mohican-Killbuck Valley.......... D. Lynn Snyder, P.E., P.S. Muskingum ............................ Michael Nichols, P.S. Northwest Ohio........................ Thomas Henry, P.S. Ohio Valley............................. Michael Austen, P.S. Scioto Valley ....................... Charles Chapman, P.S. Southwestern .................................... Eric Lutz, P.S. Toledo ........................... Terrence Wright, P.E., P.S. Treaty Lands ...................... Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S. Tuscarawas Valley ........................ Jared Akins, P.S. Western Reserve ....................... Joseph Fenicle, P.S. University of Akron ................. Joseph Fenicle, P.S.
Greetings from the President Hopefully this message, as well as the OSN, finds you enjoying some time on a beach or taking a well-deserved break from our busy schedules. Summer can be a hectic time for many of us, but I hope we are all able to perform our work safely while still finding moments to relax with family and friends. Since my last article, OSPS has been actively attending events and connecting with a wide range of individuals to promote the surveying profession. In April, on behalf of NSPS, Jon Link, Tom Silva and I attended a Hiring Our Heroes event at WrightPatterson Air Force Base. This provided a great opportunity to introduce surveying to individuals who have served or are currently serving our country. Those we spoke with were engaged, curious, and eager to learn more about our profession. Later in April, OSPS participated in the Ohio FFA Convention at the Ohio State 2026 OSPS President Joshua Mihelcic, P.E., P.S. Fairgrounds. This event brought together middle and high school students, many of whom were already familiar with surveyors through work on their family farms. It was encouraging to see their interest and to highlight that careers in both agriculture and surveying can go hand in hand—just as demonstrated by our President Elect. In addition to these outreach efforts, I would like to thank and recognize those who are taking the initiative to engage within their own communities. Both Andrew Jordan and Mike Austen took time out of their busy schedules to share their passion for surveying with students—efforts like these make a meaningful impact. I am sure many others within OSPS are doing the same, and we sincerely thank you as well. If you are involved in similar activities, please consider sharing your experiences and photos with OSPS for future OSN spotlights. The more we promote these efforts, the more we can inspire others to get involved. A special shoutout to the Askega Chapter. I appreciated the opportunity to attend your March meeting at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office and to connect with those in attendance. I look forward to visiting additional chapter meetings across the state and hope to see many of you at the Fall Conference. Lastly, on behalf of OSPS, I would like to congratulate the University of Akron for their second-place finish in the Baccalaureate Division and Cincinnati State for their Honorable Mention at the NSPS 25th Annual Student Competition. Outstanding work—keep it up!
Thank you,
Joshua Mihelcic, P.E., P.S. 2026 OSPS President
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Summer 2026
From the Editor’s Desk
Patrick M. Ernst, P.S., PLS The Ohio Society of Professional Surveyors was very saddened to learn about the passing of Patrick Earnst, P.S., P.L.S. in July. Patrick was OSPS’s current Treasurer and the editor of the Ohio Surveying News. He was very active with the Miami Valley Chapter and served the as their Chapter Delegate for many years. The following was written by Matthew W. Newsome, P.S., President, of the Miami Valley Chapter. It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I share the news of the sudden and unexpected passing of Patrick Michael Ernst, P.S., P.L.S., on Monday, July 6, 2026. Patrick was a consummate professional and a tireless champion of public service, a passion he demonstrated throughout an extensive career spanning every level of government. He fervently supported the growth and betterment of the land surveying community, shaping the next generation as a dedicated professor at Sinclair Community College and serving as a cornerstone of the Ohio Society of Professional Surveyors (OSPS) for decades at the chapter and state levels. Above all, Patrick was a devoted husband to his wife, Anna, and a man of deep, faithful devotion. The scope of this loss is difficult to put into words. Patrick was a guide, educator, and cherished mentor who leaves behind a legacy of integrity, leadership, and kindness that touched his family, friends, co-workers, and countless students.
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Our Most Interesting Project By Mike Straub, P.S., Straub Surveying
Straub Surveying of Cleveland was contacted in late 2013 by the Specialty Group of Thomarios Painting for what could be described as a once-in-a-lifetime project. Goodyear had decided to replace its world-famous blimps. They were converting from blimps to zeppelins—rigid-frame airships. The old blimps were essentially a large ballon with no internal framework. Goodyear had long been frustrated with the decals used on the old blimps and invested years developing and testing specialized paints that could expand and contract with the airship’s surface. Once the research was complete, Thomarios of Copley, Ohio—a firm with extensive experience restoring and painting historic rockets and aircraft—was awarded the painting contract. Straub Surveying was referred to Thomarios by another client who knew of our expertise in laser scanning. When “The Call” came in December 2013, I’ll admit I didn’t even recognize the name of the person who referred us. (Isn’t it amazing how often that happens?)
Saturn V-7 Rocket, Courtesy Thomarios Specialty Group.
In February 2014, I visited the hangar at Wingfoot Lake State Park in Suffield, just east of Akron. Goodyear had shipped the zeppelin components from Germany and assembled the airship on site. Standing inside that hangar with such a massive ship was unforgettable—I felt truly privileged. Paul Thomarios explained their challenge: they needed us to laser scan the airship and precisely lay out the “branding”—the striping and lettering that would ultimately define the look of the Goodyear fleet. My head started spinning, but I said, “Yes, we can do that,” even though I wasn’t yet sure exactly how. From the ground and from high in the rafters, we scanned the control points and the airship using a Leica C-10 laser scanner. Thomarios provided lifts so we could clamp the scanner to the structural components. Twelve control points were established, half on the hangar and half directly on the zeppelin. For this first scan, we were not concerned about scanning the very top of the airship, however we did scan it on subsequent trips. The point cloud was processed, and the 2D drawings were “rubbersheeted” to the cloud in AutoCAD. Points were set every foot along both the top and bottom of each stripe—X, Y, and Z coordinates included. The ship itself measured 246 feet in length.
The Layout, Straub Surveying
When we returned we set up and resectioned from our control points and discovered that the airship had not moved. We checked the control points on the ground against the points on the ship. All good. By request, the hangar doors had been kept closed to minimize skin movement from temperature changes, and the ship remained securely moored. It made a difference. Again, with help from Thomarios, we used the lift to elevate us to the layout area. Continued on page 6
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Our Most Interesting Project Continued from page 5 We used a stake-out routine to find our points on the gray-skinned zeppelin and shot the distance reflectorlessly. “Away 0.003’ “ – yes! We marked the point with a Sharpie guided by the red reflectorless light spot from the instrument. Next point…away 0.002’! Perfect! At shallower angles (instrument line of sight relative to the side of ship) the errors grew to 0.04’ or so. Being all lateral, the errors were well within tolerance for Thomarios’ paint crew, who used masking tape behind us to finalize the lines. We simply set baseline points for the template Thomarios used for the lettering and logo. We used the robotic instrument (Leica TS12 at the time) on a tripod for the lower stripe and on a column mount in the rafters for staking the upper stripe. We learned we could stake one side in two long days. That knowledge came in handy – we did the same process for Wingfoot 2 in 2016 and Wingfoot 3 in 2018. We also did an as-built scan upon completion of Wingfoot 1 for Goodyear’s Wingfoot 2, Courtesy of Goodyear. records. To this day, it puts a smile on my face to look up at the sky—or see the Goodyear airship on television—and think: “We did that.” If you are still reading, and are interested, we have a time-lapse video of our and Thomarios’ work on our website at StraubSurveying.com.
Straub Got Lucky! I have always been intrigued by new technology relevant to surveying including being the first surveyor in Cleveland to implement robotic total stations (Geodimeters) back in 1997 when working for my previous employer. In 2011, I got lucky! (My definition of “Luck” is when Preparation meets Opportunity.) I had been reading and studying about laser scanning for several years and really wanted to add this to our professional services list. Straub was called by DCK Worldwide in 2011 about helping out with the improvements to the AJ Celebrezze federal building in downtown Cleveland. They were contracted to add 3’ to the exterior of the building . It was one of Obama’s “shovel-ready” projects. I thought it was a construction staking project. Wrong. When I went to the initial meeting and shown the existing conditions plan, I recognized that it was a laser scanning job! We ended up scanning the exterior of the building for flatness and measurements to a virtual plane for construction. It was a 3-year endeavor for us. That project was a 6-figure contract and allowed Straub to begin their laser scanning services. Lucky!
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Summer 2026
Join us for the OSPS 2026 Fall Seminar on October 15-16 in Canton, Ohio. This year’s event features up to 15 PDHs with topics and speakers, including: • History of Akron Surveys (Paul Couch, P.S. and Eric Arters, P.S.) • State Board Investigations (Jason McLean and Dylan Markley) • Gain Efficiencies & Promoting the Profession (Kevin Woeste, P.S., L.S., P.L.S.) • Working with County Offices - Carroll & Stark Counties (Jared Akins, P.S. and Dan Houck, P.S.) • Cadastral Surveying (Joseph Fenicle, PhD, P.S.) • Mapping Prehistoric Pathways: A Surveyor's View of Caves, Megafauna, and the First Peoples of the
Americas (David Bodo, Jr., P.S.) • Landlocked by Design: Ohio’s Five-Acre Loophole and the Parcels We Pretend Are Fine (David Bodo, Jr., P.S.) • ODOT: Things You Need to Know (Raymond Foos, P.S.) Attendees can select a full two-day registration or register for one day. Register early for the best rates. Registration is now open at www.ohiosurveyor.org.
Hotel Information Doubletree by Hilton Canton Downtown 320 Market Avenue Canton, OH 44720 330-471-8000 • • •
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Registrants are responsible for their own room arrangements. The DoubleTree Hotel has offered a group rate of $129/night plus applicable taxes. Reservations can be made online or by calling 800774-1500 and tell them you are with the Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio. Reservation deadline is September 14, 2026.
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OSPS Reaches Out to Future Surveyors OSPS members volunteered at several events this Spring to spread the word about the surveying profession. On April 23, Joshua Mihelcic, P.S., Jon Link, P.S., and Tom Silva, P.S. represented NSPS and OSPS at the Hiring Our Heroes event in Dayton. Hiring Our Heroes helps transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses build meaningful civilian careers. On April 30 and May 1, Mihelcic and Link, along with Ray Foos, P.S., Mark Smith, P.S., and Brad Foster, P.E., P.S. volunteered at the OSPS booth at the Ohio FFA Convention. A big thanks to OSPS and NSPS set-up at Hiring Our Matt O’Bryan, P.S. and ODOT for Heroes in Dayton. setting up the “sandbox” which was a big hit with the attendees. Held at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, the FFA Convention brings in nearly 10,000 middle and high schoolers, along with their teachers, advisors, and families. On May 8, Kevin Hughes, S.I. and Andrew Jordan, P.S., E.I. presented on surveying careers to students at Westland High School in Columbus. This was part of career week at the school where companies came in and presented on their industry and Jon Link (l) demonstrates a Total company. Students choose from four time Station to a FFA student. slots throughout the week for presentations that interested them. Hughes presented the students with a GPS rover set up and data collector to show them what some data collected looks like. Interested in helping inspire the next generation of surveyors? OSPS is always looking for members to volunteer at career fairs, classroom presentations, industry events, and other outreach opportunities throughout the year. Whether you can Josh Mihelcic (c) speaks to attendees at give a few hours or the Ohio FFA Convention. participate in multiple events, your experience can make a lasting impact. Contact the OSPS office or watch for upcoming volunteer opportunities and help us continue Andrew Jordan (l) and Kevin Hughes share their surveying experiences with students at Westland High growing the surveying profession. School.
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Welcome New Members The following members joined OSPS between February 1, 2026 and June 30, 2026, and were approved by the OSPS Board of Directors. Welcome all new members and thank you for your support! MEMBER TYPE NAME Professional Jeffrey Campbell Stephen Evans Stephen Pope Seth Schroeder Associate David Beiter Frank Powers Gregory Tobe Van VanDerlin Affiliate Christian Kopcienski Keith Rohal Zachary Smith Student Sarah Bittinger William Bobot Nicholas Booth Brayden Burkhalter Dylan Decot Sidley Helphrey Howard John Hogg
CITY, STATE Madeira, OH Creola, OH Lewisburg, OH Ottawa, OH Pleasantville, OH Concord Twp., OH Ashland, OH Cuyahoga Falls, OH Avon, OH Elyria, OH Newark, OH Pickerington, OH Delaware, OH Columbus, OH Crestline, OH Lancaster, OH Columbus, OH Cincinnati, OH
CHAPTER/S Cincinnati Scioto Valley Miami Valley Northwest Central Ohio Cleveland Mohican-Killbuck Valley Western Reserve Firelands Firelands Central Ohio Central Ohio Central Ohio Central Ohio Mohican-Killbuck Valley Cincinnati Central Ohio Cincinnati
Congratulations New Licensees Congratulations to the following individuals for passing the Ohio State-Specific Professional Surveyor Examination and earned their Professional Surveyor license in February 2026. NAME Dugan Auble Steven Cappelli Bryon Fredenburg Robert Hornyak Ryan Kramer Jordan Kreglow
CITY, STATE Bascom, OH Cuyahoga Falls, OH Owego, NY Center Line, MI Willowick, OH Maumee, OH
Ohio Surveying News
NAME Clinton Lutz Jessica Meahl Kyle Parker Chrispen Schlegel Robert Shiock John Wiseman
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CITY, STATE Milford, OH Amesville, OH Upper Sandusky, OH West Layfayette, OH Gahanna, OH Marengo, OH
Summer 2026
OSPS Member Spotlight Ray Foos, P.S. OSPS Chapter: Congress Lands & Central Ohio Ohio Location: Columbus Current Company & Role: I am the Survey Operations Manager at the Ohio Department of Transportation Central Office and serve as the Geodetic Coordinator for NGS. I manage the Survey and Mapping specifications for the department, evaluate new technology, and try to give the ODOT surveyors the tools and support they need to do their jobs as efficiently as they can. I guess I also serve as the “complaint department” for all the consultants and construction surveyors doing business with ODOT. Where in Ohio do you live/work? I live in Marion with my wife Shannon, two kids Bill and Steph, one dog Sugar, and three cats Bart, Mable, and Senior Guadalupe. I work in Columbus at ODOT Central Office, West Broad Street at I-70. There is nothing I enjoy more than sharing the 1 hour + commute home every evening with my fellow Columbus/Marysville-Honda Commuters. They are some of the most “creative” drivers I have ever encountered. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Reedtown Ohio (Eastern Seneca County). Our nearest neighbor was ¼ mile away, a “calm day” had 10 mile per hour winds, and during the summer if you were really quiet you could hear the corn grow. No, I did NOT attend a one room school house or churn my own butter. Favorite Ohio sports team or local pastime? I do not take much time to sit down and watch sports. I do enjoy listening to the Cleveland Guardians and Tom Hamilton on the radio while I’m in the tractor or combine. When we lived in Elyria I enjoyed going to the Indians/Guardians game with my wife. Outside of work, what hobbies or interests do you enjoy? My wife and I farm 400 acres of soybeans, corn and wheat. When we moved “back” to Marion we took over the farm operation from her dad and uncle. It keeps us busy. We also like to hang out at Apple Valley in Knox County and enjoy the lake life. How long have you been in the surveying profession? I started surveying in 1989, got licensed in 1996. I haven’t regretted a minute of it. I got licensed under the “old rules”. I have my associates degree from the University of Toledo and added my 2 years of experience to get my FS and was able to sit for my license in 1996. What inspired you to become a surveyor? I worked a couple of years in construction before going back to school so when I started classes, I was a bit “rusty” at studying. I’m not one who likes to sit behind a desk everyday (although you wouldn’t know that today) so engineering didn’t seem like a good fit for me. When I took my first surveying class, I knew that was something I could enjoy doing. The rest is history. What type of surveying work do you focus on (boundary, construction staking, GIS, etc.)? I have done just about every type of surveying at some point in my career…boundary, Topographic, Hydrographic, geodetic. That is probably why I love what I do so much. Can you share one project you’re especially proud of? Why does it stand out? It’s hard to come up with one project. When I was in District 3 our survey department built the Culver-Davies calibration baseline and got it certified to be on the NGS national network. I’m very proud of some of the projects I worked on here in Central Continued from page 11
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OSPS Member Spotlight Continued from page 10 Office. The Ohio County Coordinate System and OhROW, are both projects that I hope will benefit the survey profession for generations to come. Sometimes, however, it is the simple things that are the most satisfying. Finding the cornerstone or iron pipe that hasn’t been uncovered for 100 years, staking a thousand feet of curb through a subdivision and looking back on those perfectly placed lath and hubs, and winning the race to the electric fence against a very angry bull are things that I look back on with fond memories. What’s the most rewarding part of being a surveyor? Being part of this profession and interacting with my fellow surveyors is very rewarding. I enjoy sharing my knowledge with other professionals and love the challenge of learning new technology. What’s one challenge in the profession you’ve overcome or learned from? My knowledge of geodesy and state plane coordinates was very limited until I started working for ODOT. I was very fortunate to start my ODOT career at District 3 and work for Jim Kenyon. Jim taught me about geodesy, state plane coordinates, and the surveyor’s role in this discipline. A light bulb went off in my head when I started to understand what a GPS receiver truly collected and how that Latitude/Longitude translated to the maps we make. Geodesy is a core function of surveying that a lot of us take for granted and don’t make the effort to truly understand. Knowledge of the fundamental principles of GNSS, the CORS network, and how to project that data to mapping coordinates is needed to truly be a professional surveyor in our era. What advice would you give someone considering a career in surveying? If you love the outdoors, history, and problem solving do not hesitate to jump in with both feet, this career challenges you every day, physically, mentally, or both, you will never “reach the summit” of your career, it doesn’t exist. When you are in the field take a moment to look up from that data collector screen and take in the scenery, our world is a beautiful place and your “office” is in the middle of it all very few people get that opportunity. You work in a profession that lets you see the good and bad in our society, learn from that. See what you can do as a surveyor to make our world a better place then do it. A professional gives back to their community, they are held to a higher standard than a tradesman, give back. Technology, the law, and government are always changing, adapt, be flexible, and never, ever stop learning. Finally, looking at the head of a cow for horns is NOT how you identify a Bull you need to look other places to make that determination.
Have You Renewed Your OSPS Membership? Invoices were emailed to current OSPS members in April. Members have until September 30, 2026 to renew before they are considered inactive. Members can renew their membership online by logging onto their profiles at www.ohiosurveyor.org, sending a check to the OSPS Office, 6797 N. High St., Worthington, OH 43085, or by calling 614-761-2313. If you did not receive your invoice, please contact OSPS at 614/761-2313 or info@ohiosurveyor.org.
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Summer 2026
Thoughts on Professional Practice and Education - Business and Management in Education By Knud E. Hermansen, P.L.S., P.E., Ph.D., Esq. This is the fourth article I have prepared in the series offering thoughts on professional practice and education. The focus of this article, I hope, will assuage some individuals who I may have offended by my last article and will give hope to friends who will see I am now writing with the sense that I appear to have lost with my last article. I know I am not alone when I say I wish I knew as a young surveyor what I now know about running a business. I can stand in front of a dozen or more surveyors who run their own surveying business, some for decades, and discuss rules and regulations, that by law, apply to them. What I reveal shocks many of them as they realize the deficiencies in their knowledge and business practice. They were unaware or confused about rules and regulations they should be adhering to or should have adhered to when running their business. I might quickly add, I will not claim to know the entire plethora of knowledge on government regulations as applied to businesses. Who would know all the governing rules except for the most dedicated bureaucrat or regulator? Sadly, the federal, state, and local governments continue to do their best to create more difficulties in starting and running a business – especially if you contract with the government. The first time a surveyor hears the phrase ‘cash flow’ should not be during their first year of owning a business as they sit in their office, the time near midnight, the pay for employees due the next day. Having never heard of the term ‘cash flow,’ the new business owner cannot understand how they must pay sooner using what they won’t have until later. The new graduate who is checking into the human resource manager at the onset of their surveying career should not wonder what is meant by a 401k, employer match, vesting periods, and pre-tax contributions. This missive is not meant to discuss politics or even the various subjects that may fall under the concepts of ‘business’ and ‘management’ education. Rather, the focus is to advocate that relevant business and management topics be presented to students studying in a four-year surveying program. Faculty would be disappointed when collecting alumni data to discover graduates described their job title as ‘survey technician’ ten years after graduation. After ten years, the graduate is expected to be licensed and in management. Yet, many survey programs have failed to give students any relevant knowledge that would aid the graduate to take on management positions where survey graduates are expected to spend most of their professional careers. I would opine the lack of adequate business and management courses in surveying programs stem from two conditions. The first condition arises because of the lack of business and management experience that faculty have. Many faculty do not have the experience, training, or knowledge to teach relevant business and management courses. Even survey programs at larger universities can’t always draw on the business school faculty to help educate the Continued on page 13
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Thoughts on Professional Practice and Education Continued from page 12 surveying student in relevant business courses. While the business school faculty may be able to educate the surveying student regarding contracts, business entities, employee law, etc., topics such as mechanics liens, survey fee makeup, right of entry laws, road safety laws, Dig Safe, OSHA, federal contracting, and other such survey specific areas will not be covered in a course taught by the business school. The second condition thwarting the introduction of business and management courses into a surveying program is the difficulty in fitting more courses into a surveying degree program. Universities limit the maximum number of credits for a bachelor of science degree. ABET accreditation requires certain courses and credit hours. NCEES has established topics covered in the FS exam that must be covered in the academic program. Finally, the university requires all students at the university take certain courses for the regional accreditation the university maintains. If the reader will indulge me, I will get upon a soapbox regarding the last limitation mentioned - that is University accreditation requirements. I have found it frustrating that regional accreditation often requires courses such as diversity, artistic expression, humanities, and other general education courses popular among liberal arts faculty but worthless in a business or a professional environment. (Not all general education is dismissed by practitioners. Courses such as communication and writing are the exception. These courses and their content are appreciated by employers.) For 30 years I have examined hundreds of employment-surveys prepared by alumni and survey employers sent by the University for program self-improvement. In those 30 years and after review of hundreds of documents, I have yet to see a single employer or alumni say how useful artistic expression and similar courses have been toward their career. The mention of these courses is a common occurrence but only under a category where alumni cite courses of no use in their life and wasted tuition money. Having given my opinion, I now offer advice by suggesting professional societies that advocate for surveying programs also look at the courses in the survey program to ensure there are business and management courses that provide the graduate with the knowledge to become leaders in both the profession, community, and a surveying business. † Other books and articles by Knud can be found at https://umaine.edu/svt/faculty/hermansen-articles/
Save the date and plan now to attend the
OSPS 2027 Annual Conference February 24-26, 2027 Hilton Columbus at Easton Registration opens in November. Ohio Surveying News
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Summer 2026
The PLSO PAC Needs YOU! The Political Action Committee (PAC) representing the interest of Ohio’s surveying community—the PLSO PAC—needs your help! This fund is used to support the efforts of our Legislative Committee by contributing to candidates who have been helpful in advancing the PLSO legislative agenda, and fund representatives to attend events that help PLSO build relationships and advance our issues. PLSO could not have accomplished past legislative goals without the positive relationships with lawmakers built through PAC support. The PAC is an important component of PLSO’s legislative efforts, and is in need of replenishing its funds for a busy year ahead, including defending professional licensing and obtaining immunity from trespassing through right-of-entry statute for surveyors. The fund may accept donations from individuals only (no corporate gifts permitted). Please consider sending a contribution using the form below to PLSO PAC, 6797 North High Street, Suite 101, Worthington, OH 43085. Together small contributions can make a BIG difference!
6797 North High Street, Suite 101 Worthington, OH 43085 614-761-2313
Name _________________________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip __________________________________________________________________________ Email __________________________________________________________________________________ Phone Number ___________________________________________________________________________ ❑ $100
❑ $250
❑ Check
❑ Cash
❑ $500
❑ Other $___________
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Political action committees are prohibited from accepting cash contributions in excess of $100 from any one individual during the calendar year.
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Contributions must use personal funds. Ohio Campaign Finance Law prohibits political action committees from receiving corporate funds.
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Checks should be made payable to PLSO PAC CP39.
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Payments and contributions to the Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio, Inc. PAC are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.
OSPS Sustaining Members Learn more about sustaining members at the showcase section at the bottom of the home page at www.ohiosurveyor.com.
3DFlow
Contact: Giacomo Vianini giacomo.vianini@3dflow.net
ConSurv, LLC
Contact: Chris Kocsis chris@consurvtech.com
Javad GNSS Inc.
Contact: Ruby deBruyn r.debruyn@javad.com
CTS
Contact: David Russell david.russell@ctsgeosystems.com
Carlson
NOAR Technologies
Contact: Tom Peak tpeak@carlsonsw.com
Contact: Sarah Laskaska info@noartech.com
DroneView Technologies
Contact: Jason Heywood jheywood@droneviewtech.com
Precision Laser & Instrument, Inc.
Civil Training, LLC
Contact: John Cooke john.cooke@civiltraining.com
Columbus State Community College Contact: Jon Link jlink@cscc.edu
GeoShack
Contact: Shane M. Zysk smz@laserinst.com
Contact: Steve Hatfield shatfield@geoshack.com
Zaenkert Surveying Essentials Inc.
J. C. Andrus & Assocs., Inc. Contact: D. Wallace dwallace@jcandrus.com
Contact: Robert C. Zaenkert bob@chrisnik.com