The Geoholics

Geoholics Anonymous / UAV Mapping

Welcome to this meeting of Geoholics Anonymous! This is a bi-weekly “roundtable” style discussion touching on the current issues affecting the Land Surveying & Mapping professions. This panel was made up of Kent Groh, LS (Host of The Geoholics), Scott Ohana, LS (UNIFLI), Mark Taylor (Extreme Aerial Productions), Rose Hart (Stantec), Jim Crume, LS (Cooper Aerial & Surveying Mathematics Made Simple), Ernest Huffman (North Texas UAS Safety and Integration Task Force) and Zach Pieper, LS (Quantum Land Design). The topic of this week’s GA meeting was UAV and drone technology. We covered current applications, control practices, safety & privacy and where the panelist see the technology heading.

Episode 031 - Kory Allred, PhD PLS EI

Kory Allred, PhD PLS EI has taken his passion for land surveying to levels many of us strive to achieve. Having worked on the private side for almost 20 years, his passion for the profession has led him to academia and the position of Land Surveying Program Director @ Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. Kory takes this role and the influence he has on the future of land surveying very seriously. Even though he is a White Sox fan, Kory and Dilfy Dilf still remain friends. The Safety Apparel Safety Share touches on staying sane during these trying times! Producer Jake wants to inhabit Mars. Big Shoots has an odd infatuation with Disney. Dilfy Dilf is in a shitty mood and may have a new career Instacarting. Please support your local restaurants and small businesses while appreciating first responders and healthcare workers. Music for this episode by KOLARS!

Geoholics Anonymous / COVID19

Welcome to the first meeting of Geoholics Anonymous! This is a bi-weekly “roundtable” style discussion touching on the current issues affecting the Land Surveying & Mapping professions. This panel was made up of Kent Groh, LS (Host of The Geoholics), Justin Farrow (Land Surveyors United), Gavin Schrock (Editor of xyHt), Michael Thompson, LS (Chair of Professional Surveyors Canada), Ryan Swingley, LS (Past President of the Indiana Society of Professional Surveyors), Denver Winchester, LS (President of the FIG/Young Surveyors Group) and James Combs, LS (VP of the FIG/National Young Surveyors Group). The topic of this weeks GA meeting was COVID-19 and how it is and might affect land surveying moving forward.

Episode 030 - Eric Salovitch

Eric Salovitch wants to be known as the crossfitting land surveyor from New Hampshah. He has been surveying for about 10 years and is currently a Survey Technician for TFMoran, INC. winners of the Best of Business (BOB) award for 8 years in a row. Eric is the Chair of the New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association Young Surveyors Committee which was recently awarded the NHLSA Presidential Award. Producer Jake shares his shower habits and is looking for binge watching recommendations like Tiger King. Big Shoots is finally wearing t-shirts. Dilfy Dilf is losing his mind to the point that he is now playing online curling to pass the time. Please support your local restaurants and small businesses while appreciating first responders and healthcare workers. Surveying…essential or nonessential? Music for this episode by Outlaw Inlaws!

Episode 029 - Justin Farrow

Justin Farrow has not only worked in and around the land surveying industry his entire life, but has also built Land Surveyors United an online community of over 17,000 surveyors and geomatics professionals from across the globe. He is well educated having achieved multiple bachelor and master degrees covering everything from Anthropology to Global Sustainability. Justin provides a great perspective on life and the state of the land surveying profession. Producer Jake shares that the Tiger King is his new guilty pleasure…Big Shoots missed the show due to an upper body injury and Dilfy Dilf promotes fasting, the Tiger King and alcohol. This was our first “Shelter in Place” show! Music for this episode by Justin’s good friend Marcus King!!!

Episode 028 - Rose Hart

Rose Hart is a GIS Analyst for Stantec currently living and working in the great state of Hawaii. She has played a vital role in a number of unique UAV projects including mapping shore erosion and lava flow on the Big Island to remote bush plane airstrips in Alaska. Rose shares what its like to be an assertive young woman in a male dominated profession as well as some lessons learned while flying drones. We attempt to get an understanding of how lava changes the “ground” elevation and if it would be possible to rename a volcano Big Shoots. Producer Jake fills us in on his trip to the Windy City, Big Shoots and the lovely Kerrie display amazing hospitality and Dilfy Dilf pleads for you to support local! Music for this episode by Carol Pacey & the Honey Shakers!

Episode 027 - Neil Garity & William Hittle

Neil Garity has been working in the land surveying profession for close to 30 years while William Hittle for just over 4 years. We get some great perspective from two guys that are at very different points of their careers. Neil is a Project Surveyor for Atwell in Chicago and William is a Crew Chief for Red Plains Lender Surveys in Oklahoma City. Both being fans of the show happen to be in AZ so we figured we’d get them on a show and see what happens. The result was a great conversation that we hope you will enjoy as much as we did. We also found out that FootGolf is an actual sport and that joining the Geoholics Fan Club is easier than you think. Music for this episode by KOLARS.

Episode 026 - Brian Fisher, PLS

Brian Fisher, PLS has been surveying since 1996. He is a true servant of the profession currently serving as the NGS – AZ State Geodetic Coordinator. Brian is a respected geodetic presenter and has authored many articles on the topic of geodesy. He is a HAM radio operator, weather spotter, committed volunteer and family man…a true renaissance man as they say…also the recipient of the 2019 United Surveyors of Arizona Lifetime Membership Award. We get in the weeds on the imminent SPC 2022 transition and the official retirement of the US Survey Foot. Big Shoots discredits COVID-19…and death, Producer Jake has another big announcement and Dilfy Dilf goes on a diet…of sorts. Music for this episode by The Black Moods!

Episode 025 - Larry Collura

Larry Collura has weaved himself into the fabric of MLB having spent time in the New York Yankees organization while establishing lifelong relationships with the likes of Yogi Berra and Pete Rose. He started out playing stickball in the streets of Brooklyn where his baseball skills were initially developed before taking his talents to the University of Arizona and the big leagues. Hear his perspective on the game of baseball, past and present, as well as life and the keys to happiness. Larry also “brought the hardware” allowing the boys to check out his 1999 World Series ring and shared the meaning of the phrase “2 Sewers”!  Producer Jake pleads for more good news…Big Shoots is more focused than ever and Dilfy Dilf had a cloud of death hovering over him before turning things around with his Coyotes wager. Music for this episode by Outlaw Inlaws! 

Episode 024 - Denver Winchester, PLS

Denver Winchester, PLS has been working in the land surveying industry for nearly 11 years and is currently the Vice President of Surveying at Crafton Tull in Oklahoma City. Denver studied Civil Engineering at the University of Oklahoma and Land Survey Technology at Oklahoma State University. His mom was a survey drafter growing up and he swore he’d never be a surveyor…it sucks you in! Denver is passionate about helping to develop young surveyors and is the President of the FIG/NSPS Young Surveyors Network. Details are released about the new Geoholics Fan Club. Producer Jake has a big announcement, Big Shoots talks about how White Claw is giving him nightmares and DD converts to nominalism…at least for the week. Music for this episode by Des Rocs!