Catching a game before the WFPS Board of Directors meeting
WFPS meets three times a year and this year’s summer meeting was held Saturday, June 25, 2022, at the Embassy Suites Waterfront in San Francisco, California. It began with a fun group trip to the Giant’s game against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Go Giants!
This WFPS meeting included directors attending from 13 western states – including Meridian’s Michael Nadeau, Utah’s director. Tim Burch led the weekend with WFPS directors. Tim Burch is the new Executive Director of the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) and has recently been appointed to replace Curt Sumner. While Curt is now retired, he will be missed. Tim has great vision for the future of the surveying profession and WFPS is excited to work together in moving the profession forward and raise the bar for all surveyor’s – past, present and future. In Tim’s recent words “I’m looking for Evolution in the surveying profession and not a Revolution.” This is a plan all surveyors can get behind.
From Left: Michael Nadeau (UT and Meridian Eng), Ben Petersen (WA), Russ Kluesner (MT), Tim Burch (NSPS Executive Director), and Gary Gervelis (AK)
The Western Federation of Professional Surveyors (WFPS) is a regional non-profit organization composed of Land Surveyor associations representing the 13 western states, including Alaska and Hawaii. Formed in 1979, WFPS is dedicated to education, fostering common goals within the western states and providing a regional voice at the national level. Meridian’s survey division leader Michael Nadeau serves as Utah’s director to WFPS and WFPS’s immediate past-chairman.
Meridian survey crew chief, Mo Sykes, initiated this project with a design topography survey of the stadium area prior to the proposed turf installation for the football field and track re-surfacing. Our civil engineering team used the survey data to overlay the play field design elements. Following that design phase, Heather Butler, survey crew chief, returned for construction layout and one last verification of the surface to ensure the football field is ready for turf to be placed. This verification is part of our process to confirm the required accuracy of the new field is achieved for the proposed turf.
Meridian’s LiDAR manager and Professional Land Surveyor, Brian Boehmer, gets the credit for these crisp clean views while surveying the existing bridge structure over Henrieville Wash and SR-12 just northeast of Henrieville, Utah. The goal with gathering these scans will be to create 3D CAD models of the existing structure for use by the roadway and structural design teams.
To accomplish this activity, Meridian scanned both existing structures utilizing terrestrial LiDAR methods – LiDAR = Light, Detection and Ranging. The use of remote sensing technology is used to provide a detailed point cloud and subsequent 3D Model of the existing structures to expedite design workflows for the team.
In Brian’s words, “The best part of field work away from the office is the wonderful views and landscapes. Being in an area with no cell service is a close second!”
Meridian’s QA/QC Manager Brad Mortensen, PE, PLS received the 2021 UCLS Surveyor of the Year award. Coincidentally it was presented by Meridian’s Michael Nadeau on Friday, April 1, 2022, at the award ceremony during the Western Regional Survey Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Brad received the award based on his volume of service to the Land Surveying Profession, including his most recent participation as chairman of the Utah Council of Land Surveyor’s ad-hoc Committee developing the 2022 State Plane Coordinate System for Utah. Brad has worked closely with the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) for the last 4 years in developing Utah’s new system. As an added kudos to Brad, he also presented a breakout session during the conference entitled, “Benefits from the New 2022 State Plan Coordinate System” that was well attended.
Brad has over 36 years of experience and the last 6 of those years have been as Meridian’s QA/QC Manager. He is well recognized for the quality of his work, especially in geodetic control surveys throughout the state. Coincidently, Brad also teaches “Control Surveys” in the Surveying Program at the Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). Brad brings assurance to our clients regarding all aspects of transportation and infrastructure design, ranging from geodetic control, mapping, roadway/right-of-way design, and construction design of modern infrastructure. He also has experience in state, municipal, utility, and commercial/retail capital improvement projects.
All who know Brad would agree he loves to share relevant industry topics through his various conference presentations and as an educator at SLCC for the last 10 years. Many of the younger licensed surveyors in our profession remember with fondness and dread his Control Surveys course. Dread because of the difficulty of the subject matter and fondness because the way Brad presents the material. Several past students have thanked him for helping to further their careers. Brad was also instrumental in compiling and writing the 2015 and 2017 update of the UDOT Surveying and Geomatics Standards Manual, which is used throughout the state as the literal standard for control, topographic and construction survey specifications. Due to Brad’s education involvement in the profession, he has also received the 2022 Engineering Educator of the Year nomination from the Utah Council of Land surveyors (UCLS) at the Utah Engineers Council (UEC) awards ceremony February 26, 2022.
Brad Mortensen with his new awards.
When asked about these awards Brad responded: “I fell into the Land Surveying Profession by accident. I was a student in an agricultural engineering program and the first two courses were on surveying. I fell in love with the aspect of being in the outdoors and using my wits to solve problems and collect data. After that I changed my major and never looked back. The profession has been good to me, so I have tried to give back by mentoring future generations. Receiving the recognition from my peers these last few months has touched me deeply, and with much appreciation I give my thanks!”
Brad’s 2022 Engineering Educator of the Year Award
Meridian’s survey manager, Michael Nadeau states, “Brad and I have served on many of the same committees and professional boards for over a decade and I’ve seen his love for our profession through this time. Brad gives back to the Surveying profession unselfishly. He’s never been a person on a mission to build up his resume with this volunteer work, but rather to raise the bar of the profession and give back to the industry he loves. Brad Mortensen is admired and respected by all who know him professionally and personally. Brad’s received accolades are not only deserved, but also well overdue!”
Brad’s conference session presentation: Benefits from the New 2022 State Plane Coordinate System
This year’s annual UCLS Conference, was held March 30 – April 2, 2022, at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and included Arizona (APLS), California (CLSA), Nevada (NALS) and the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors (WFPS). This year’s conference had over 950 attendees representing 31 states, including several professionals from Meridian Engineering. The conference is organized for Survey professionals to stay current with best practices, latest laws, and preview the newest technology for the profession. There was over 22 hours of educational tracks across four simultaneously running tracks.
Exhibition Hall where we talk with vendors about the new technologies that are shaping the surveying profession
Meridian’s right of way and survey teams were happy to be involved throughout the conference, comprising of break-out sessions of key industry topics such as ethics, eminent domain, business practices for surveyors, understanding utility easements, a mock trial based on a real boundary case and a full four-day track for survey techs looking to take their licensing exams.
Session examples
Left: Aaron Smith and Trent Keenen discussing “Challenges of a Work Force Shortage”
Right: Listening to Jeff Lucas present Rights of Way and Prescriptive Rights
Some of the big highlights and accolades that occurred at the conference impacting our firm:
Meridian’s Quality Control and Quality Assurance manager Brad Mortensen, PE, PLS was awarded the 2021 UCLS Surveyor of the Year as presented by Meridian’s Michael Nadeau during Friday’s award ceremony. Brad received the award based on his volume of work to the profession, including his most recent participation as chairman to the UCLS ad hoc committee developing Utah’s new 2022 State Plane Coordinate Systems while working closely with the NGS. As an added kudos to Brad, he also did a presentation during the conference titled, “Benefits from the New 2022 State Plan Coordinate System” that was well attended.
Brad Mortensen awarded UCLS Surveyor of the Year 2021 by Michael Nadeau
Our lead surveyor, Michael Nadeau, PLS, CFedS was acknowledged by the current WFPS chairman for Michael’s service as Chairman of the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors from 2020 to 2021.
Mike Nadeau receives acknowledgement as Chairman of WFPS from 2020 to 2021 as presented by Ben Petersen and current Chairman of WFPSMike’s Chairman of WFPS Plaque (Chairman 2020 to 2021)The 3 Gaveling Amigos (From left to right: Justin Moore – past president of NALS, Michael Nadeau, past chairman of WFPS – Robert McMillan, past president of CLSA)
A large group from Meridian, including spouses, was able to participate in an evening fundraising bowling event at the Orleans with long-time Meridian colleague, James Olschewski of UDOT and Bryan Westover of HDR. To raise more money for scholarships, tickets were purchased to give gutter balls to the opposing teams and players to help surveying students fund classes in the surveying program. It’s all fun and games until Meridian’s survey manager is handing a founding principal a gutter ball ticket all while saying, “It’s for the students!”
Orleans Fundraiser Bowling event: Brian Boehmer, Mike Nadeau, James Olschefski in the background
New Orleans Fundraiser Bowling event: Our large group
Mike unlocks the treasure (Mike won the scholarship raffle as 1 of 50 surveyors who bought a key)Brad’s conference session presentation: Benefits from the New 2022 State Plane Coordinate System
Also, a group outing for Italian family style dinner at Bucca Di Peppo with the Pope. It’s always a good time when Meridian employees can network with fellow associates and peers on this holy level.
Meridian and the Westover’s dine with the Pope at Buca Di Peppo, Las Vegas, Nevada baby!
Overall, our team looks forward to this annual event for receiving professional development credits, gaining extra knowledge regarding the profession, and networking with like-minded surveyors from the across the west. Recharging in the Las Vegas sun is always an added benefit!
