The Geoholics

Episode 043 - Jeff Lovin, CP, PS

We welcome Jeff Lovin, CP, PS to The Geoholics Podcast! Jeff has been elected to the National Geospatial Advisory Council (NGAC), served as president of MAPPS, and is the current president of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. His entire 34 year survey/mapping career has been spent at Woolpert where he currently serves as a Sr. VP and the Government Solutions Market Director. We took full advantage of this opportunity to get to know more about Jeff (including his fear of birds!) and ASPRS! PJ is remodeling his office. BS is conflicted about wearing a mask. DD shares a newly discovered sport called Calcio Storico and talks about a recent run-in with a local degen #glock. Please continue to support our FOTP. Music for this episode by The Rolling Stones!   

Episode 042 - Kyle Schultze, PLS

Kyle “Hollywood” Schultze, PLS is not only a fellow Saluki but also a Project Manager at Precision Engineering Group, Inc. in beautiful Champaign, Illinois. He is an Eagle Scout, recipient of the IPLSA Eldridge Award and has had his picture in POB magazine! Kyle and the boys discuss what its like to work for a small firm and wearing many hats, requirements to become a professional land surveyor and the Boy Scouts of America Survey Merit Badge. Kyle is the poster child for the Survey Merit Badge and continues to pay it forward being the Survey Merit Badge booth coordinator for the 2021 BSA National Jamboree…and he needs our help! NSRS announces a delay in the 2021 Modernization. PJ’s YouTube video of the week is Relentless. BS proposes to run a half marathon in lieu of getting a tattoo…decision pending. DD drives a green and gets called out for doing the DD strut. A “Would You Rather” question is asked….maybe a new segment? Please support our FOTP and local small businesses. Music for this episode by David Bowie!   

Episode 041 - Tim Bauer

Guten Tag! The Geoholics have broken down the Geo Wall and are taking Germany by storm! Tim Bauer, the Head of Geo AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Supper und Supper, joins us from Berlin. We had a spirited chat about the role AI currently plays in the world around us and the effects it could have on our future. Tim tells us about Pointly, a software he is helping to develop and implement for automatic classification and segmentation of data points and objects in 3D point clouds. A little known fact about Tim is that he was the proud winner of a first grade reading competition...before everyone got a trophy. Guess what…the US Survey foot is going away…I swear! Producer Jake is selling everything and living on a sailboat. Big Shoots has not slept in a week resulting in a retraction and Dilfy Dilf is convinced the world is headed off the rails and he too is considering minimalism. Please continue to support local small businesses. Music for this episode by SUMA!   

Geoholics Anonymous - Post COVID19 Leadership

Welcome to this meeting of Geoholics Anonymous! This is another “roundtable” format discussion touching on the current issues affecting the developing world. This panel is made up of Kent Groh, LS (Host of The Geoholics), Ryan Kelly, CP (Co-host of The Geoholics), Scott Phillips (President @ Ace Asphalt), James Murphy (CEO @ Willmeng), Rob Robichaud (VP Sales & Marketing @ Ace Asphalt) and Scott Sangster (Partner @ Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP). The topic of this GA meeting focuses on what true leadership will look like Post COVID19. We discuss the challenges of navigating a business through a global pandemic, how leadership is having to adapt to be successful, managing the associated risks, health & safety of employees and clients, de-globalization and the effects on urbanization.

Episode 040 - Kyle Felder, LS

Kyle Felder, LS is the Survey Manager at Red Plains Lender Surveys in Edmond, OK. He has been surveying for the better part of 15 years and is a 3^rd generation land surveyor. Kyle is the Oklahoma Society of Land Surveyor's Young Survey Coordinator, a proud member of the NSPS Young Surveyor group and was voted the 2019 OSLS Surveyor of the Year by his peers. We discuss the fear of land surveying becoming a forgotten profession, the fact that there are only fifteen registered land surveyors in OK under the age of 35, how surveyors are stereotyped, and the idea of a national education requirement to become a professional land surveyor. We learn a little about a great new product from CivDrone, Producer Jake’s mom won’t let him get a tattoo, Big Shoots is afraid of getting a tattoo and Dilfy Dilf will get a Geoholics tattoo if the podcast hits 15K downloads by the one year anniversary! Please continue to support local small businesses. Music for this episode by The Doobie Brothers!

Episode 039 - Michael Pummer, LS

My friends, join us as we share the airwaves with Michael Pummer, LS a 30+ year land survey veteran. To say that Michael has lived an interesting life would be an understatement. He is a self-proclaimed Parrot Head, has captained a sea lion tour boat and booze cruise in Mexico, lost the lower part of his leg due to an infection and is an avid skydiver…all in addition to having a sincere passion for surveying. Michael shares his thoughts about the current state of affairs as it pertains to the profession (land surveyor vs appliance operator) and makes some suggestions on how to move forward. New Geoholics merch has arrived for Fan Club members! Producer Jake gets talked into believing in UFO’s, Big Shoots and Huddy are going magnet fishing and Dilfy Dilf explores going off the grid and how to repurpose old survey equipment. Please continue to support local small businesses. Music for this episode by Jimmy Buffett!   

Episode 038 - Good News!

This is one of those experimental podcasts where we attempt to find another creative way to “add value & make friends”. With so much negativity circulating around us 24/7, the boys were challenged to bring 3 geomatics (some loosely albeit) related stories or topics to the table that contain “good news” from which we all may benefit from. Topics covered include the positive effects that COVID19 is having on the environment, SpaceX, Get Kids Into Survey, ASU’s (forks up!) development of a saliva based COVID19 test, amazing magnet fishing find, 102-year-old land surveyor Bob Vollmer, Jim Coan’s Math for the Surveyor publication, and more! We hope that you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we did recording it! Please continue to support your local small businesses. Music by Carol Pacey & the Honey Shakers!

Episode 037 - Michael Thompson, CAN LS

Join us eh, as we put on our tuques, warm up a double-double, eat some Coffee Crisps and talk all things Canadian land surveying with Michael Thompson, CAN LS. Michael is the President and General Manager of Halma Thompson Land Surveys and the Chair of Professional Surveyors Canada! He has been surveying for the better part of 17 years, is a proud Dino having graduated from the University of Calgary with a BS in Geomatics Engineering and has a plumb bob tattoo! We dive in to the similarities, differences and challenges Canadian and US surveyors are facing currently and into the future. The Beat Lab is awesome and Bob’s your uncle! PJ bought an island. BS has a second grader. DD goes on another FB post rant and plugs the lovely Megan’s concierge biz. Please continue to support your local small businesses. Music for this episode by Big Sugar!

Episode 036 - Rick DeBruhl

Check out our discussion with award-winning television broadcaster and communication expert Rick DeBruhl (www.rickdebruhl.com)!  Rick DeBruhl spent much of the last 30 years covering auto racing for TV networks like ESPN, ABC and NBC including events like the Indy 500. In a world that travels at more than 200 miles per hour, Rick DeBruhl has learned that communication is critical. The right information at the right time not only gives teams a chance to win, it also can avoid a disaster! We talk all things racing, cars, antique maps and the dynamics associated with effective communication in a constantly changing world. We may be changing Producer Jake’s name to “Skipper” as he embarks on a 3 hour tour to Geoholics Island. Big Shoots has haircut envy. Producer Jake lands on DD’s shit-list. Please continue to support your local small businesses. Music for this episode by The Moody Blues!

Geoholics Anonymous / Marketing & Promoting Geomatics

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), Ryan Kelly, CP (Aerotech Mapping AZ), Trent Keenan, LS (Diamondback Land Surveying NV), Bill Swope, CP (Halff Associates, Inc. TX), Todd Bauer, LS, PE (Foresight Consulting, LLC IN), Jay Janisse, LS (Jones I Carter TX), Steve Gangwal (Entrepreneur & Small Business Consultant AZ). The topic of this week’s GA meeting was Marketing & Promoting Geomatics and Mapping Services. We discuss what it takes to be successful even during these unprecedented times. Topics include branding, ethics and the 6 “P’s” of developing a marketing plan.