Darryl Fenn UCLS Past Chair Darryl’s career in land surveying, spanning from June 1979 to June 2026, has been a remarkable journey filled with unforgettable experiences and incredible people. In July 1997, he founded Meridian Engineering Inc., which has blossomed into a respected engineering and surveying firm under new leadership, paving the way for a promising future. As a dedicated member of the Utah Council of Land Surveyors since the early 1980s, Darryl has had the privilege of serving in almost every capacity, including two terms as chair of UCLS, with the most recent being the 2025-2026 term. Additionally, he’s held the role of chapter president multiple times and served as the Utah representative to WestFED and NSPS in the 1990s. His passion led him to organize UCLS conferences, advocate for our boundary survey recordation laws and collaborate tirelessly with two fellow surveyors to establish and teach a Land Surveying program at Salt Lake Community College, passing the torch to other dedicated educators who shared our vision of higher education for those in our profession. Today, Darryl serves as the past state chairman of the UCLS. In that role, his responsibility is more than simply helping the incoming state chair through the transition; it is also to offer continuity, perspective and steady support drawn from his previous service. The past state chair serves as a trusted sounding board — someone who can listen, advise and help provide context as new ideas are considered and new challenges arise. He’s garnered licenses across four western states and contributed to projects in half the states in the U.S. His journey began as a chainman at a local company, where his excitement was sparked by the opportunities ahead. As Darryl navigated through positions from chainman to instrument man to party chief, each project became an adventure. A standout moment in his journey took place while working with multiple crews on a classified quasi-military base in the Nevada desert. When the survey manager went AWOL, he received the empowering message from the vice president of the company to take command and do his best, leading him to balance fieldwork with office duties to complete the mission successfully. A career in land surveying is an invitation to endless discoveries, demanding qualities reminiscent of pioneers like Daniel Boone, the investigative prowess of Dick Tracy and the analytic mind of a mathematician. Each day brings colorful characters — both colleagues and clients — adding unpredictability to our work. UCLS Foresights 9
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