20 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 45, No. 1 2022 Annual Conference field, then it starts to come into focus.When we dohave a conversationwe really should focus on the cool technology we have and how surveyors contributed to the technology everyone uses everyday like their cell phone GPS or driving apps and lead that into conversations about property lines, history, construction, and more. I truly believe that first and foremost, every member needs to bring their staff (all of them) to their local chaptermeetings and to the PLSOConference. Yes, it’s a financial commitment, but canwe afford not to?We need our technicians at the great seminars that our conferences offer. Where else is a young person going to be introduced to the ideas that John Stahl, Jeff Lucas, and so many of our own Oregon surveyors present at these conferences? They will benefit and so will your business! I think Tim Kent said it best whenhe said, “Youngpeople are the best source to recruit young people.” If our technicians are inspired they will tell their friends about what they do. What made you decide to become the Oregon Director for NSPS? I just truly love surveying and I strongly believe you have to give back as a professional. I’ve done somuch in PLSO that I was looking for something new. I’ve always had an interest in the law and, to a lesser degree, politics, soNSPS seemed like a perfect next step for me. I had a great experience with NSPS folks from around the country teaching the Surveying Merit Badge at the 2010 Scout Jamboree. That was really my first introduction to volunteering at the national level and I still maintain contact with the folks I worked with. Even though I’ve only been to one in-person “Day on the Hill” with NSPS, I was fascinated by the process in Washington D.C. I think every surveyor should attend this event once in their career. With all of that, being able to act on PLSO’s behalf at the national level is an exciting new challenge. I appreciate the trust that is put inmewith this position and just as I’ve done inmy state positions, I’ll domy best to represent PLSO’s interests in every decision. What are ways PLSO and NSPS could better partner for the benefit of its members? I’mstill figuring this out at themoment. Oregon has done a great job partnering with NSPS on legislative issues, but at the very top of my list is how to partner in recruiting new surveyors and expanding workforce development. I look forward to working with our new executive director TimBurch and exploring this question. What skills do you think recent graduates need to learn for their first full-time employer the most? I think this really depends on the job. I think timemanagement, people skills, and good filemanagement and documentation skills cover every job in the field or office. Most employers realize that new graduates are just getting started and are going to teach thespecificsofwhat theyneed.Anygraduate that can bring solid skills in CAD, technology, and software can probably teach their employer something! What professional project have you learned the most from? A few years ago I did a project on Siletz Bay which required really digging into how to correctly survey off of tide gauges and the lawwith regards to high water lines on the Oregon Coast. It really stretched the limits of my knowledge with regards to riparian boundaries, floodplains, and case law. I had to do some serious research tomake sure I wasn’t out in left field with my answers. Those answers would ultimately define the building setbacks on a very tight piece of property. I learned a lot and I know it made me a better surveyor in those areas. How can we partner better with high schools? I truly wish I had the answer to this, but as much as people may not want to hear it, I am convinced it’s not Trig Star. I think we need to build relationships with the career counselors and with teachers who are in specialty areas like engineering, building, and technology and then make presentations to those students who already have a mindset that might match up with surveying. Math was a large part of our history, but with data collectors and computers it is not who we are. We are made up of history, law, technology, data management, measurements, really cool gadgets, and in today’s worldmath is probably last on the list. We need to sell high school students on the breadth of what we do so they can find the niche that excites them about us. How do you get ideas for your Lost Surveyor articles in The Oregon Surveyor magazine? I rely heavily on the Oregon Book of Geographic Names to domy initial research, but cell phones and the internet have made it so much easier to find information on the fly. Most of my ideas come from trips I take, sometimes from suggestions of other surveyors. But mostly I spend a lot of time randomly googling names on a map. An average article takes a good part of two days by the time I identify the subject, research it, photograph it, and write it. I’ve personally visited nearly every location I’ve written about which has made some great road trips. What is your favorite road trip you’ve been on? I can’t pick one. I have many great memories of trips with each of my sons when they were little. In recent years, there have been some epic ones. My fiancé and I once drove to Crescent City, California, just to have dinner on the pier. We found two Lost Surveyors and a couple cover photos on that one! Last winter we drove to Oklahoma to spend two weeks of COVID with my son and daughter-in-law. That covered nine states, a couple national parks, and about 4,000 miles. Anything on your travel bucket list you and (fiancé) Ann want to do together? Our first trip to Europe (specifically Paris) is high on the list whenever the pandemic and travel concerns lessen. What do you like to do in your free time? Prettymuch anything outdoors, road trips, hiking, photography, writing, and cooking. Gaylord’s Tri-Tip Recipe Marinate your tri-tip roast in a sealable 1-gallon freezer bag. I use Yoshida’s Teriyaki because it’s thicker and more sweet. Using your hands, press the air out of the bag, making sure the steak is coated. I also like to inject the teriyaki into the cut. Place in the fridge to marinate for 4 to 6 hours. When ready to grill, coat each side of the steak with coarse coffee grounds for a nice crust—I use Folgers. Add your choice of wood to the barbecue for great smoke flavor and then cook slow and low until you reach perfection, basting with teriyaki near the end. I recommend keeping the temperature at 225 to 230 and cooking to a core temperature of 130 to 140. Take it off the grill to rest for 10 to 15minutes. Slicing against the grainmakes it more tender, while cutting with the grainmakes it more chewy. Open a beer and enjoy! x continuedT
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