January February 2018

Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org 7 From the PLSO Office I would like to make a request to all our members. We have got dreams for the future of PLSO. They may be summed up in four points. We told them to you as we reported on rebranding goals last year (and they are listed in the Message from the Chairman on page 5), but in truth—they are our goals for everything we do. These goals are what consistently guide us in selecting ac- tivities we should be involved in and representing its members. If it doesn’t answer any of those bullet points, then we need to Moving forward in 2018 Though our Beyond the Horizon Conference is over, the theme remains with us all year. We are working hard to grow and adapt as the needs of the profession change for those that have been steadfast through the years and those that are just now coming into their careers. Our organization is confronting a time of many changes and our goal is to be adaptable, motivated and open to new ideas. So, my request to you today, is that you will all be a part of this journey with us. Simply put, because we need you. As a summary of where we are as of January 24, PLSO currently has 587 members. This is pretty similar to what we had at this time last year. As a breakdown that includes: • 378 Corporate Members • 94 Associate Members • 25 Special members • 13 Retired • 50 Students—thanks to the OSU Chapter • 27 Life Members With that said, this is a significant drop in comparison to where PLSO was prior to the burst of the housing bubble. In 2008 we had 838 members, 583 of which were licensed surveyors. Many of those that left are still practicing in the state. Some even at- tended the conference at the higher non-member rate (which kills me). What can we do to bring them back into the fold? In speaking to more than one attendee at the conference, busi- ness is good. Why is it that they aren’t seeing the importance of engaging with their professional community? It will take all of us to share the importance of being part of PLSO. The larg- er, more engaged we become, the stronger we are. With that brings more opportunities for promoting surveying to allied pro- fessions and the public, and the more clout we have in Salem and Washington DC. PLSO exists for its members. Investing in it, is investing in yourself. I look forward to working with you all in 2018, looking Beyond the Horizon.  x Moving beyond the horizon rethink whether we should keep doing it or even start partici- pating in it. We can’t keep doing things simply because it’s what we’ve always done and not evaluate the value to our members and if it addresses any of those goals for the future. That can mean hard decisions or just a few suggestions for change. It’s what any business should do to remain successful and that re- mains true for non-profits, just like PLSO.