Schools and continuing education opportunities (Field Forum). This committee ensures that UCLS members have access to relevant, high-quality learning. HISTORICAL COMMITTEE Chair: Matt Clark This committee is responsible for gathering, documenting and preserving the history of surveying in Utah. Over the past few years, they have completed projects that provided a forward-facing view for surveying. Monuments such as the initial point for This is the Place Heritage Park provide a location and history we can call on, but also a physical reminder for the public of what we do. LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Chair: Trent Williams This group monitors proposed laws and administrative rules, working directly with lawmakers and regulators. Members help review bills, provide technical insight and advocate for policies that protect both the profession and the public. For those interested in shaping the regulatory landscape, this is one of the most impactful places to serve. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Chair: Tyler Harper This committee is focused on growing and retaining participation. The committee works to connect surveyors with the organization. Efforts often include outreach to new licensees, students and non-member professionals, as well as improving the overall member experience. PUBLICATION COMMITTEE Chair: James Olschewski The Publication Committee is the glue that ties all the others together. They are responsible for publishing our Foresights magazine and are the best resource to communicate the actions of the UCLS. They provide articles that enlighten and highlight industry wins and keep us apprised of the changes we need to track. STANDARDS AND ETHICS COMMITTEE Chair: Kurt Falkenthal Often working behind the scenes, this committee addresses technical and ethical issues within the profession. It may develop guidance, review common challenges and promote consistency in how surveying is practiced across Utah. Mentorship: Bridging Experience and Innovation The future of surveying in Utah depends not only on numbers, but on continuity. Like many skilled professions, surveying faces the reality of an aging workforce alongside a limited pipeline of new licensees. This is where mentorship becomes indispensable. Through the UCLS, mentorship can move beyond informal relationships and become a deliberate effort to transfer knowledge, skills and professional values. Experienced surveyors bring decades of insight — lessons learned in boundary resolution, client communication and professional judgment. These are not easily taught, but they are critically important. At the same time, newer professionals bring strengths of their own. They are often more fluent in emerging technologies, adaptable to new workflows and eager to challenge traditional approaches. When mentors and mentees engage with each other through UCLS — often through committee work, events and shared initiatives — the relationship becomes mutually beneficial. Mentorship, in this sense, is not about preserving the past — it is about integrating experience with innovation to move the profession forward. From Participation to Progress: A Shared Responsibility for the Future The statistics tell a clear story: Land surveying in Utah is a small profession with significant responsibility, partial participation and increasing demands. It is also a profession with enormous opportunities. Those opportunities lie in engagement. Whether it is attending a chapter meeting, volunteering for a committee, presenting at a conference or simply becoming a member, each act of participation contributes to something larger. It strengthens advocacy in a field where numbers are limited. It builds consistency in a workforce that spans both resident and non-resident professionals. It supports mentorship at a time when knowledge transfer is critical. It reinforces the relevance of surveying in a rapidly evolving world. The future of land surveying in Utah CANNOT be determined by external forces. It must be shaped by the choices of those within the profession — by their willingness to engage, to contribute and to lead. We must discuss, dissent, agree, train and bring our experiences to a united decision. When that decision is made, we must rally, united as one voice. The Utah Council of Land Surveyors provides the framework for that effort, but its strength will always depend on the people who choose to be part of it. In a profession where numbers are small but the impact is large, participation is not just beneficial — it is essential. And the path forward is clear: A stronger, more connected surveying community begins with those willing to step in and take part in it. 1. Western Regional Conference 2026 Board of Registrars Meeting 2. United States Census July 2024 UCLS Foresights 24
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