ACQUISITION CONNECTION Getting to Know Our New Team Members

Tell us about Axis Surveying and Mapping (Axis)?

Axis was started in 2006 by a group of surveyors who saw an opportunity, quickly becoming one of the region’s most trusted and reputable surveying-only companies. Growing from 8 employees in 2006, to over 30 in 2023, the original owners of the firm, many still with SAM today, built a strong culture that has led to fantastic employee retention and a positive work environment.

Our original president and one of the founders, Mitch Evans, was at the helm of the company from day one until his retirement in 2020. When I joined Axis in 2015, I stepped into an already established group of professionals that have a passion for their work. On January 1, 2020, I took over as CEO of Axis Surveying and Mapping.

What motivated you to considering, then deciding to sell to SAM?

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was lots of time to consider what the future of Axis would be. Understanding that to continue growing we would have to look outside of our current footprint, we wondered “what would we be when we grew up?”. The ownership group explored the idea of opening satellite offices throughout the region and even strategic acquisitions of other firms to grow. Looking to other regional and national companies (like SAM!) that had grown through acquisitions, led us to the idea that it might be the right time to sell Axis. The desire was to partner with a company that had a solid reputation in the industry and maintained many of the same core values of Axis. SAM quickly became the leading candidate for us. What we all wanted most was for our employees and their families to be well taken care of, and for them to have opportunity for career advancement and growth.

What are your main areas of expertise?

This group is filled with problem solvers. We were just as likely to be doing a small boundary survey for a homeowner, as we were construction staking for some of the largest companies in the country. The more challenging, the better. For many years, we’ve utilized 3D Laser Scanning to assist the Maritime Industry with retrofitting their large ocean vessels. This always required an outside-the-box approach with advanced knowledge to get the job done. Our team approach to all our work has gained us many loyal customers over the years.

What do you consider the most valuable asset brought to SAM from Axis?

Without a doubt, our people. I have never worked with a more dedicated, well trained, and enthusiastic group. We function like a championship sports team. Understanding that we are only as strong as our weakest link and a “next-person-up” attitude will be a huge asset for SAM in the future.

How does the Axis culture align with SAM? How is it different?

Though we were a large firm for the area, Axis functioned more like a small business for many years. That’s not to say that we lacked expertise or technological know-how, but some of our processes were closer to a company of 5 than 1,500. What aligned us the best with SAM were our shared values: hard work, respect, and the flexibility for our team to bring their unique skill set, life experience, and attitude to the company, regardless of background. We fully understand that our people make us who we are, and SAM certainly understands this as well.

Why should SAM employees visit Redmond?

Ironically, come for the nice weather. Don’t tell anyone, but it doesn’t always rain here! The summer climate is some of the best in America. While the rest of the country is sweating it out in July and August, we’re enjoying a pleasant 85 degrees, low humidity, and 15 hours of daylight! In addition to Seattle and everything it has to offer, come to visit Mt. Rainier National Park or head out to Olympic National Park and check out the rugged coast of Washington and the Hoh Rainforest. The Hoh is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the US. Don’t forget to stop for world class seafood along your way.

What piece of SAM are you most interested in bringing to your team?

Technology and career advancement will be our primary focus moving forward. Looking at the advanced technology that SAM owns was a key component when we selected SAM. We look forward to using our existing knowledge of terrestrial scanning to help us bring mobile and aerial scanning into the Redmond office. Additionally, we’d like to bring more SAM tools to our area. I think the Pacific Northwest and the west in general are open for business when it comes to SUE, Aerial, GIS, and Construction Management.

Empowering Employees through Personalized Development Programs

Investing in our employees' development is crucial to the success of our company. However, employee development is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We recognize that each employee has unique talents, skills, and aspirations, in addition to different learning needs, goals, and preferences. The Learning & Development (L&D) team at SAM is committed to providing the resources employees need to grow and move up the ladder, based on their own desired trajectory.

SAM offers a wide range of career growth opportunities for employees. The SAM Library has a comprehensive list of specific career paths for each position that any employee can view and download. This year, the HR and L&D teams have created SAM Pathways. It’s an offering that allows each employee to reach out and discuss his or her own career opportunities within SAM. For many employees, the conversation can be as simple as what tasks or steps do they have to take to achieve the next level of the specified career path for their position. Other times, however, employees may want to understand other options within the company, ones that may not fit within the specified career path in the SAM Library. In the end, the goal is to continue building an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. SAM’s initiatives focus on various aspects of professional and personal growth, including improvements with technical skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills.

1 –On-the-job training

One of the ways we support our employees' development is through enhanced on-the-job training by using Skill Matrices. We have always encouraged managers to provide regular feedback and coaching to their team members to help them identify areas for improvement and develop new skills. In collaboration with management, we have established Skills Matrices that will allow greater focus on what skills are immediately needed while giving employees exposure to different areas they can develop based on what they find exciting.

2 –Training program, workshops, and seminars

In addition to on-the-job training, we offer formal training programs, workshops, and seminars to help employees develop specific skills. Our training programs cover a wide range of topics, including technical skills, software training, project management, and communication skills. All of which can be found either in the SAM University or the SAM Library.

Employees interested in learning technical skills can view various offerings from Trimble Access Series, to SUE Designator Series, and guided, self-paced workshop for CIVIL 3D or Bentley OR through SAM University or SAM Library. To learn about Project Management, the Effective Project Management is designed for new employees, or someone new to project management.

To ensure that the development programs meet the needs of all employees, we offer multiple formats and delivery methods. Employees may choose from instructor-led training, e-learning courses, on-demand training modules, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Team members can select the format that works best for them, whether they prefer to learn in a classroom setting or at their own pace.

3 –Coaching and mentoring

SAM also offers coaching and mentoring to help employees identify their career goals and develop a plan to achieve them. We encourage employees to take on stretch assignments and projects that challenge them to develop new skills and gain experience.

4 –Tuition reimbursement

Every employee at SAM has the potential to grow and succeed. Reach out to the L&D team at L&D@sam.biz with questions or for more information.

We also offer tuition reimbursement for employees who want to pursue additional education or professional licensures and certifications.

We believe that investing in our employees' development is not only beneficial for the individual but also for SAM. By strengthening our skills and knowledge, we can improve the quality of our services, increase efficiency, and drive innovation. These opportunities also foster a positive company culture where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to progress in their roles, which leads to higher employee engagement and retention.