North Carolina Society of Surveyors, Inc.51st Annual Conference

& Trade Show

February 5-7, 2015Great Wolf Lodge

Concord, NC

paceMEASUREDat a

GROWINGGROWING

2015

Conference Time is Here!With such an eventful 75th Anniversary year in 2014, it is hard to believe that another conference is almost here. But the staff and Board of Directors of NCSS are thrilled to present you with our 51st Annual Conference & Trade Show. This year, we will host in the center of the state at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord.

The Great Wolf Lodge is the perfect combination of family and business. We will hold our conference and trade show in the beautiful expo center, and each room night includes access for 6 people to the famous waterpark. So grab your kids or grandkids and take advantage of this location. It is a great year to bring your family.

We are continuing our new tradition of a Vendor Appreciation Dinner on Thursday night. Keeping with the theme of family and fun, we are loosening things up and heading to Dave & Buster’s. We have reserved a private room for dinner, as well as the entire bowling alley for our pleasure that evening. You will not want to miss this!

Don’t worry, though, this conference is not just about fun and games. You will have plenty of opportunities to grow your professional resume and build connections. Our classes and concurrent sessions will uphold the high level of education you have come to expect from NCSS. Our main speakers this year will be Jeffrey T. O’Briant, Esq., PE, PLS and Jerry D. Taylor, Esq., PLS. We will also enjoy our regular Q&A Luncheon with the NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCBEES). The trade show will allow you to attend up to four concurrent sessions and hear the latest on technology and other advances.

As we continue into our 76th year as a Society, we want to continue the easy momentum we’ve established in the past few years. “Growing At a Measured Pace” is about nurturing and strengthening our Society and the surveying profession, being flexible to the changes in technology and legal requirements, but not getting ahead of ourselves. We want to continue to foster a season of growth with great care and foreward thinking. And we want to be prepared to grow into the future in a fruitful and knowledgable manner.

We hope you’ll join us in February!

Schedule at a Glance7:30am8:00am

12:00pm1:00pm5:00pm6:00pm6:30pm

7:30am8:30am9:30am

10:30am12:00pm

1:30pm2:30pm3:30pm6:00pm6:30pm

Registration & Breakfast“Growth Principles and Strategies for Land Surveyors” “Training & Development for the Land Surveying Technician”Q&A Luncheon with NCBEES“Litigation Alternatives for Surveyors”Seminars EndNew Board Reception (invitation only) Vendor Appreciation Dinner & Bowling at Dave & Buster’s

Trade Show Opens & BreakfastConcurrent Sessions Pt. ITrade Show & Surveyor GamesConcurrent Sessions Pt. IIPlat Luncheon & General Membership MeetingConcurrent Sessions Pt. IIITrade Show & Surveyor GamesConcurrent Sessions Pt. IVPast President’s Reception (invitation only)Presidential Awards Banquet & Evening Entertainment

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015

7:30am8:00am

Breakfast NCSS Winter Board of Directors Meeting

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Two Raffles. Two Great Prizes.CASH RAFFLE

Reverse drawing. $100/ticket.Grand Prize: $2,000

2nd & 3rd Place: $500

CONDO RAFFLE$20/ticket or 5 for $80

Grand Prize: 7 day/6 night stay in a 3 bedroom condo on Bogue Sound at

Indian Beach (you pick the week!)

Drawings will be held at the Conference. All proceeds support the NCSS Education Foundation.

“Growth Principles and Strategies for Land Surveyors”and “Litigation Alternatives for Surveyors”

Instructed by Jeffrey T. O’Briant, Esq., PE, PLS and Jerry D. Taylor, Esq., PLS

Thursday, February 5, 2015

This year’s seminar is sure to be both informational and interesting. We will begin the day discussing what it takes to build a surveying business that will bring long-term success. We will explore topics such as leadership, marketing, lean business models, incorporating, changing employee workforce, cost management, employee engagement, avoiding malpractice, and managing daily workload.

Afterwards, a panel of successful business and professional leaders with varied experience will be available to answer any specific questions you might have about business, the industry or how to lead with success. Our panel will include Clint Osborne (Allied Associates, Inc.), Andy Clark (Regional Land Surveyors, Inc.), Toynia Gibbs (ESP Associates, PA) and Donald McNeil (Appalachian PLS & Consultants, PA). The panel will be moderated by Jeffrey O’Briant, so be sure to bring your most challenging and thoughtful questions to gain their valuable insight.

In the afternoon, we will shift our focus towards more legal matters and conflict resolution. We will explore general concepts relating to negotiation, conflicts in general, various means for resolving conflicts, including a brief overview of the litigation process, formal mediation and other alternatives to litigation. We will also review situations and ways that surveyors can put these concepts to use in their day-to-day practices.

Jeffrey T. O’Briant, Esq., PE, PLS

Jerry D. Taylor, Esq., PLS

O’Briant received 2 degrees from Wake Tech and a degree in Civil Engineering from UNC Charlotte. Upon graduation, he became a highway design engineer and route surveyor as he gained experience for his PE and PLS. Soon after, he proceeded to law school at Campbell University and moved into a private legal practice focused primarily on real estate and eminent domain. This legal knowledge led him to Progress/Duke Energy where, for 10 years, he led teams in transmission acquisition, real estate, project management, construction, facility management and others. He is back in private practice with 30 years of diverse experience in law, surveying, engineering and construction, handling eminent domain cases statewide and working on other litigation/real estate/construction matters for NC clients.

Taylor is an Associate Professor and serves as program coordinator in the Surveying and Mapping Science Program at East Tennessee State University, where he primarily teaches classes related to boundaries, land development, business and surveying practices. He holds a BS in Land Surveying from Michigan Technological University and a JD from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He is a member of the Michigan Bar and is licensed to practice surveying in four states. He is a Rule 31 listed mediator in Tennessee. Prior to coming to East Tennessee State University, he owned and operated a private law practice, a surveying practice, and a title insurance agency and served as a member of the surveying program faculty at Michigan Technological University. He continues to be an owner of Horizon Land Services, P.C. which offers surveying, mediation and legal services on a part-time basis.

“Training & Development for the Land Surveying Technician”

Instructed by Jared R. Ownbey, PLS

Thursday, February 5, 2015

This seminar is specifically tailored to land surveying technicians and will build upon last year’s basic training. It will cover many facets of the land surveying technician’s role in carrying out land surveying field procedures and calculations, including leveling, traversing, compass rule adjustment, GPS, FEMA Elevation Certificate field procedures, and Boundary Issues/Law.

Jared R. Ownbey, PLSOwnbey has been surveying since 2004. He earned his Associate in Applied Science Degree in Surveying Technology at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in May of 2004, graduated with top honors and has held his North Carolina Professional Land Surveyor License since December of 2008. His past experience includes working as a crew chief at Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers, and working as Surveying Department Chair at WNC Professional Engineers & Surveyors. He has been a Surveying Instructor at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College since January of 2011 and also owns a small surveying firm. He is very passionate about Boundary Survey Law, and he has had extensive training in GPS.

2015 Plat ContestOur Annual Plat Contest is underway! Send us a plat that you are proud of and you could win! Plats must have been recorded in 2014 and comply with official contest rules. Entries must be postmarked by January 1, 2015.

Winners will be presented at the Plat Luncheon on Friday, February 6. Plaques will be awarded for first place entries. A best over-all winner will be chosen and will receive a $100 cash prize, with his/her entry being entered into the NSPS National Plat Contest.Visit https://ncsurveyors.com/plat_competition for details & registration.

Thank you to the Yadkin Valley Chapter of NCSS for judging this year’s competiton!

Join us for this year’s Vendor Appreciation Dinner!

We are shaking things up this year with a night at Dave & Buster’s. We will enjoy a private dinner and

finish the evening with the bowling alley reserved just for NCSS. This will be a casual event focused on

our vendors, our families, and fun. Feel free to bring your kids - we even have a children’s menu! So wear your blue jeans and bring your family for a night of celebration and fun. Thursday, February 5

Great Wolf LodgeGUEST ROOM ACCOMODATIONS

The Great Wolf Lodge Concord10175 Weddington Road | Concord, NC 28027

Rooms are $109/night with a daily lodge fee of $14.99. This rate includes the Family Suite and Luxury King Suite (there is a $50 upgrade for themed rooms). Each room includes access for up to 6 people to the waterpark and includes full day’s access on the day of checkout. Room rates are guaranteed until January 16, 2015.

To make a reservation, call the Central Reservations Department at 1-866-944-WOLF (9653). Use group name “NC Society of Surveyors” and Reservation #1402NCSO.

Vendor Trade Show & Concurrent SessionsFriday, February 6, 2015

Friday is sure to be an eventful day. We will begin the morning with breakfast in the exhibit hall and an opportunity to begin exploring the Trade Show. Throughout the day, you will have opportunitites to network with other surveyors and vendors, participate in our Surveyor Games, attend the Plat Luncheon and General Membership Meeting, and earn PDHs through concurrent sessions. You will be able to earn up to 4 PDHs during the Trade Show, hearing from top experts on important topics.

Here is our concurrent session schedule for this year:8:30am-9:30am “Surveying the NCRR Rail Corridor” with Kristian Forslin “Laser Scanning and BIM” with Frank Mundy

10:30am-11:30am “Comparing 4730 with Board Rules” with Tom Morgan & David Tuttle“New Advancements in Terrestrial Photogrammetry” with David Bowers

1:30pm-2:30pm“History of Chains” with Timothy Guisewhite“Statewide LiDAR and Orthoimagery” with Steve Kaufman

2:30pm-3:30pm“Civil 3D” with Dan Bonenfant“Integrating SUE with the 811 Laws” with Sean Patterson

Last year’s Trade Show in Asheville, NC

Presidential Awards BanquetThe Presidential Awards Banquet is a great way to conclude our conference. The evening is graced with ceremony, celebration and fellowship. Join us on Friday evening as we induct our 2015 Board of Directors, as well as our incoming President and Vice President. We will also present the prestigious Surveyor of the Year Award to the surveyor whom you voted for. Afterwards, we will enjoy some downtime to reflect over the past few days and enjoy the company of others. Please join us as we celebrate!

Let us “Site” the Importance of Membership...Website, That Is

We’ve recently updated our website, and now you can do more than ever, including......exporting membership dues history & PDHs you’ve earned through NCSS...“County” field added to the Find a Surveyor search...an “Affiliates” page with links to our Sustaining Members’ websites...easy-to-find CFS materials...MAPS database of deceased & retired surveyors’ plats (an ever-growing project!)

Take full advantage with your membership for only $235!

Once you have logged in, you will

see this bar. Choose “History” to view dues history and

export PDHs.

Now all of your favorite vendors and

companies are at your fingertips.

This feature, open for the public, is better than ever with the ability to search by

surveyor’s Last Name, Business Name, City,

or County.

Use the search bar to find resources

quickly.

Check here for the latest updates,

including The Tarheel Surveyor.

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