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The All of this led me to today and I am honored that the member-
ship has entrusted me to serve as NALS President.
President’s We find ourselves in unique times, the land surveying profes-
sion, like many professions, is facing diminishing numbers. In the
Message last five years NALS has prioritized outreach. We will continue to
make outreach and work force development a primary goal. This
includes allocating resources, researching new avenues, and call-
ing on our dedicated members to take a more active role in the
recruitment of the next generation of Surveyors.

NALS also has a a full legislative agenda for the coming years,
By: Todd Enke, PLS , NALS President including revisions to the Nevada State Coordinate System to be
consistent with changes proposed by NGS. Our Legislative Com-
Surveying is something that I have been around since I was a mittee will also be exploring opportunity to strengthen the right
little kid, with memories of cherry juice, greasy spoons, and of entry laws for surveyors. Finally, there is discussion on hosting
aerial targets being some of my earliest experiences. My dad is a Nevada Lobby Day which will allow our members opportunity
California LS 4071, not PLS. He is still surveying today and has to meet with Representatives to advocate for critical issues af-
never needed anyone to add the “P” before his “LS” to know he fecting the profession.
is a Professional. He’d pack me up, his youngest of three, and
we’d spend weekends, holidays, summers—basically any time I look forward to a great Conference which will include fellow
away from school—surveying together, laying the foundation for professionals from Arizona, California, New Mexico, Wyoming,
our survey business, and earning the trust and respect of clients. and beyond! It is sure to be one for the record books!
As a 5 to 8-year-old in the 1970s, I was more likely playing with I feel privileged and appreciate the opportunity to serve and
Tonka Trucks than handling the Geodimeter or Wild T2 Transits represent the surveying community of Nevada as your 2024
but I have memories and a connection with him that my siblings NALS President. The success of NALS is a collaborative effort
weren’t lucky enough to experience. It took thirty years or more and I encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback.
for me to realize how much I truly appreciated that time. Reach out to me, your Chapter leaders, or our Executive Office.
Years of surveying with my Dad provided invaluable lessons Cheers to a wonderful year ahead!
including how to drive a 5-speed manual , a Toyota (and not a
Tundrda or Tacoma) that most of us on the graying side of the
curve can probably remember. I performed by first GPS Surveys YSN Report -
to establish navigation beacons using Trimble 4000SSE Single
Frequency Receivers on jobs at Moss Landing and Morro Bay in
California for Pacific Gas & Electric, jobs we got as part of our Winter Update
purchase of GPS - some of the first from an up-and-coming
surveying firm called Trimble. I also recall surveying downtown
Oakland and San Francisco in the middle of the night because By: Greg Saunders, PLS
that was the only time I had the minimum required number
of satellites (four or more at that time) to collect enough data The Young Surveyors Network (YSN) recently held their Christ-
during the four-hour session on each control point. Through the mas party at Growler Guys in Reno Nevada. Eighteen (18)
years, I have been lucky to see the first Robotic Total Stations YSN members and sponsors enjoyed an ugly sweater themed
(Geodimeter 4000), RTK GPS Receivers, and now scanners and networking event with great food, beverages, and prizes. A huge
drones, all great tools we have added to our toolbox. thank you to all the companies that sponsored the event. Bow-
man, F3, Monsen, and Wood Rodgers made the party possible
But even with all that experience, my path to becoming a survey- with financial donations and swag for the party. Pacing contests,
or was not a straight one. At seventeen, I wanted more, or maybe trivia and an ugly sweater contest were completed for prizes
just different, and so in 1988, I loaded up my Nissan 5-speed, and everyone walked away with a prize or at the very least a
4-wheel drive pick-up (used to be a Datsun) and headed off to full stomach. It was great to see a range of members from new
San Diego State (SDSU) to surf, jet-ski, drink beer, and chase chainmen and interns, to freshly licensed surveyors and proj-
girls, an American boy’s dream. I still went home on breaks and ect managers all sharing their experiences and helping answer
summers to survey, now with family friends (Surveyor Friends), questions about possible career paths in the surveying profes-
some licensed, some not, learning how many different ways sion. Keeping a laidback atmosphere is a main goal of YSN in
there were to accomplish the same things, not knowing at the Nevada. We would like to be a place where young surveyors feel
time that these experiences were shaping me into being the Sur- comfortable to ask questions and meet peers and learn about
veyor I am today. I received a BA in History from California State the industry from others in a similar position. It is our hope that
Stanislaus in 1992. After graduating, I spent the next few years more companies start notifying their younger employees about
surveying but was still not convinced I wanted to be a Surveyor. I the benefits of growing a strong peer group with YSN. If you
got the wild hair to be a bartender, so I went to bartending school know someone who would be interested please reach out or visit
and applied for a job at the Links in Safe Haven on Grand Cayman our website at: NVYOUNGSURVYORS.ORG
in the British West Indies. No cares nor worries, just bartend-
ing, girls, and scuba diving. What a life! It took meeting a great YSN will host a round table discussion at the NALS conference
women, starting a family (a daughter and two sons), and a move this year and the annual camping trip is in the works! You won’t
to Nevada for me to finally decide that becoming a Professional want to miss it!
Land Surveyor was my final destination.
4 The Nevada Traverse Vol.51, No.1, 2024