As 2020 draws to a close, we are preparing for a Presidential transition which will be entirely without controversy or discord. Starting in January, Hal Peters will be taking the FSMS reins. Hal is more than able and I look forward to seeing him move the Society forward. Fortunately for Hal, he will have the same benefits I have had with our great team of administrative staff, Board members, committee leaders and members, and other experienced Society members along with our lobbying, legal, accounting, and investment professionals to support his efforts in the new year. 

The structure of FSMS is designed for continuity, precisely because many goals take years to accomplish and those efforts are not encompa ssed under any one Presidency. The endeavor that H.O. Peters and his cohorts undertook in 1955 is in many ways the same one we have today. The scenarios and problems of the day change, but the mission is still “To promote, enhance and preserve the surveying and mapping profession through public awareness, education efforts, advocacy for the profession and legislative actions.” Having the grandson of the Society’s founder pick up the gavel in the coming year has a poetic symmetry which appeals to a sense of connection to our past among our collective of history afficionados. 

This month’s issue of the Florida Surveyor focuses not just on history, but on the necessary path to a sustainable future for the profession. A healthy profession is a demographically diverse one which mirrors the composition of the world around us. Currently, women make up about 4% of the licensees in Florida. This must change, starting with our outreach efforts at the very youngest ages. The work that Elaine and Elly Ball are doing with Get Kids Into Survey is outstanding, and that endeavor is worthy of the support of all geospatial professionals. 

A better balance in the profession is an achievable thing. Something which was immediately eye-catching to me when I attended the 3rd International Congress of Surveying, Cadastral, and Geospatial Sciences early last year in Puerto Rico was that the average age of attendees was roughly mid-40s, and almost half were women. In looking at where those attendees came from, a common cluster of elements is noticeable. In those places of origin, most of the public is aware of the profession of surveying, the profession is held in high public regard, and there are geospatial licensees who hold public office. 

Historically, the United States did have these elements, as evidenced by a particular mountain in South Dakota. If we are going to make a difference in the future of surveying, being ambassadors for the profession is not enough. We must be tireless zealots, focused on supporting and training new and prospective licensees, educating existing technicians and recruiting new ones, spreading the word about what we do among the community at large, and supporting each other through organizations such as FSMS. The future is ours to write, if we have the will to pick up the pen and begin. 

Thank you for the honor and privilege of allowing me to serve as the President of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society this year. Though my term of service in this role is concluding, the work continues!