December 2019

Happy December everyone. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday spent with family and friends, relaxing and enjoying good food and company. As this is my last President’s message, I want to reflect a bit on this past year. Being President has meant a great deal to me personally and professionally. Being able to give back to the only profession I’ve ever known has been a tremendous honor. I hope to continue to serve in whatever way I best can help our Society and profession in the future.

 I want to express my thanks to the current FSMS Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, Committee members and Liaisons. Everyone has come together so well. I never have to fear for the work getting done with such wonderful people willing to serve the Society and their profession. Our board meetings have been streamlined to flow well while accomplishing and taking care of the business of the Society. It has been a pleasure to conduct these meetings in such a great working environment. We get the work done while having some laughs along the way.

I am thankful for the opportunities that were provided to travel to many places and meet many people. I made it to many Chapter meetings and apologize if I was unable to make it to yours. I am hopeful I can still get to some I missed during the 2020 year. Traveling to Puerto Rico to meet with surveyors from all over the Caribbean area was a great experience. These are all surveyors we should embrace as valued colleagues in our profession. The opportunity to attend both the Spring and Fall NSPS meetings was also a great experience. Meeting so many Surveyors from across this country was an eye opener, learning we are all facing the same problems with staffing, academics and equipment. These are problems we can work on together, nationally, as well as globally to find resolutions and plan for the future of this great profession.

Legislatively, we’ve gotten a good start on Chapter 177 revisions but there’s still much to be done. I know that President Elect Don Elder will pick up that mantel and carry it through to completion. I am thankful for all those individuals who have worked on this project thus far including but not limited to Gail Oliver, Richard Allen, Matt Kalus and Bill Muscatello. I so appreciate all of the County/City Surveyors who have also provided input into this legislative revision. 

 I was honored to meet our new Commissioner of Agriculture, Nicki Fried, back in January. I know we will continue to have a good working relationship with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and our Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers. It has been a pleasure to work with Jenna Harper and know we will establish a good working relationship with her successor. I am looking forward to continuing to attend these quarterly meetings in the years to come.

Lastly, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to our FSMS staff in Tallahassee. Tom, Rebecca, Laura and Cathy have done such a great job for us all year long. Even though we all miss Dominic, Laura has been great and is fitting right in with everyone. This Society would be lost without such a great team handling the day to day operations. Am very grateful for Tom’s leadership of this team. His fiduciary responsibility to the Society has been exemplary, being largely responsible for our continued financial success. When you see or speak with any of these folks, please express your gratitude to them.

Have a wonderful Christmas and remember the “reason for the season”. God bless you all!