TSPS NOV. FINAL - Flipbook - Page 4
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
FROM YOUR PRESIDENT
In the year of our Lord 2025, TSPS has its first Hispanic president. I am honored to have this
opportunity but am aware that our organization has much more room to grow. We need to change the
way we do business to reflect the strengths and diversity of our membership and uplift those who
have historically not found a voice in our profession. We need to make young people feel excited
about their futures in surveying and ensure that every future surveying leader has the opportunity to
thrive at TSPS. Our goal is for TSPS to be the go-to organization for anything surveying-related.
During our last Strategic Planning Session in July, we identified the things that we’ve been doing
right, as well as several items that have been lacking. We’ve developed a plan to address these
deficiencies so that we can ensure that our tomorrows are better than our yesterdays.
First, we will be embracing digital engagement. This means that we will be implementing a higher
presence on social media platforms to engage members, share video content, and highlight archived
photographs to raise awareness of surveying. We are also looking into modernizing our website.
MIGUEL A. ESCOBAR
TSPS PRESIDENT
Second, we will be increasing outreach to students and surveyor-adjacent industries. We purchased virtual reality (VR) headsets and a
new VR program that we will showcase at career fairs, schools, and trade shows to help demonstrate a day in the life of a surveyor.
Through the continued work with the Geospatial Engineering & Land Surveying Pathway (GELS) with the Career & Technical Education
(CTE) Land Surveying Program of Study, directors across the state—led by Seneca Holland (Conrad Blucher Institute & Point of
Beginning Initiative) and Isidro X. Garza (Gratia)—there are now four participating high schools in Texas with a direct pipeline to either a
two-year or four-year degree program. Two more high schools are ready to join the initiative in the next school year. We also anticipate
developing additional mentoring programs for those already in the workforce in professional and non-professional roles.
Third, we intend to revitalize education and events. We plan to offer better access to education through live webinars and increase event
attendance through livestreaming. Our planned seminars and webinars will feature expanded topics, including technical, business, and
leadership education. We will also strive to make our in-person events more family-friendly to increase participation.
Lastly, we will endeavor to build stronger relationships with our current members by empowering the local chapters with toolkits to foster
TSPS participation. These toolkits will include outreach to surveyor-adjacent entities like real estate professionals, engineers, and local
leaders to attend TSPS events. We will emphasize outreach to firms with low TSPS participation and encourage every member to invite
at least one colleague to join.
In the last few years, TSPS has had some financial difficulties. You may remember that the last several conventions and symposiums
were booked at some high-dollar establishments. These events were great learning experiences, but they went over budget. Last year,
our budget was in the red. We have recognized these issues and are taking steps to remedy them. Our Executive Director, Trena, has
worked tirelessly to cut unnecessary expenses and find alternatives that would give members better opportunities at a lower cost. She
used a firm hand to negotiate with future event centers, hotels, and contractors to get us some excellent deals.
As you may or may not know, we will be hosting the 75th Annual Convention in Frisco next year. We expect this to be an outstanding
experience for our members. After Frisco, we will be parking our annual conventions in San Marcos and symposiums in Waco for several
years. This decision allows us to cut costs while also giving TSPS members the benefit of knowing what to expect from hotels and
vendors.
This year has some big changes coming up, but please be assured that we will not leave any of our more tenured members behind.
TSPS has a long history as a collaborative organization, and we look forward to receiving feedback and support as we work to increase
opportunity and access for all.
If you’ve ever worked with me or have known anyone who has worked with me, you know that
