At the recent AGM of the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association in Banff, Connie Petersen ALS, of Lethbridge, Alberta was elected the first female president of the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association.
Ms. Petersen paid tribute to those who had gone before her and thanked them for laying the groundwork in making the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association a positive example for other associations in Canada.
Surveying has centuries of history, and rapid innovation continues to enhance the profession and practices. To keep professional standards current, Ms. Petersen hopes for a renewed focus on mentoring and support for new Surveyors: “There are senior members of our Association who have so much valuable experience and knowledge to share that we would be wise to ensure we find ways to pass that priceless information on to our newer members.”
Connie, who received her commission as an Alberta Land Surveyor in 1998, is the regional manager for Stewart, Weir & Co. Ltd. in Lethbridge. She was the first woman to serve on the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association Council and was the 2010 recipient of the President’s Award for her work in leading the development of a new continuing competency program for Alberta Land Surveyors.
“It’s wonderful to see such a shift in our profession in recent years”, added ALSA Executive Director, Brian Munday. “Only 5% of the practicing Alberta Land Surveyors right now are women but 10% of those who received their commission in the last five years are women and approximately 15% of the articling students are women.”
The Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association, established in 1910, is a self-governing professional association legislated under the Land Surveyors Act. The Association regulates the practice of land surveying for the protection of the public and administration of the profession.
Outstanding Service to the Profession
At its 103rd annual general meeting, the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association recognized the following people for their contribution to the profession:
Don George, ALS (Hon. Life) of Edmonton was made an honorary life member in the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association for his service to the profession over the course of the last 37 years. He served on the ALSA Council from 1988 to 1990 and, again as vice-president, president and past-president from 2008 to 2011. Don George received ALS commission #397 in 1975. He was manager at W.D. Usher & Associates in Camrose and started Cam-Alta Surveys Ltd. in 1984. In 1994, he joined the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association as Assistant to the Director of Practice Review and became Acting Director of Practice Review in November 2007.
Sharon Armstrong of Edmonton was made an honorary member. On April 30, Ms. Armstrong will be retiring after 32 years as an employee of the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association. “In accepting a position with the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association, Sharon stated that she preferred a small busy office to the large corporate firms she had worked with previously. Certainly her experience with those larger firms paid off for the Association but it was Sharon’s ability to work independently and accept new challenges that stood out,” according to former Executive Director Ken Allred.
2012-2013 Council
Connie R. Petersen, ALS, President
Rob W.M. Scott, ALS, Vice-President
David R. Thomson, ALS, Past-President
John Haggerty, ALS, Secretary-Treasurer
W. Bruce Clark, ALS, Councillor
Bruce M. Drake, ALS, Councillor
Mark S. Kocher, ALS, Councillor
Marty D. Robinson, ALS, Councillor
Kevin T. Swabey, ALS, Councillor
Craig A. White, ALS, Councillor
Russ Barnes, Public Member
2013 AGM
The 104th annual general meeting of the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association will be held April 18-20, 2013 in Jasper, Alberta.