“I am grateful for the recognition!”

Meridian Engineering’s QC/QA Manager Brad Mortensen, PE, PLS, received the 2021 UCLS Surveyor of the Year award. It was presented by Meridian’s Michael Nadeau on Friday, April 1, 2022, at the award ceremony during the Western Regional Survey Conference in Las Vegas, NV. Brad received the award based on his volume of service to the Land Surveying Profession, including his most recent participation as chairman of the Utah Council of Land Surveyor’s ad hoc Committee developing the 2022 State Plane Coordinate System for Utah. Brad has worked closely with the National Geodetic Survey for the last four years in developing Utah’s new system. Brad also presented a breakout session during the conference entitled, “Benefits from the New 2022 State Plan Coordinate System.”

Brad has over 36 years of experience, and the last six of those years have been as Meridian’s QC/QA Manager. He is well recognized for the quality of his work, especially in geodetic control surveys throughout the state. Brad also teaches “Control Surveys” in the Surveying Program at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). Brad brings assurance to our clients regarding all aspects of transportation and infrastructure design, ranging from geodetic control, mapping, roadway/right-of-way design, and construction design of modern infrastructure. He also has experience in state, municipal, utility, and commercial/retail capital improvement projects.

All who know Brad would agree he loves to share relevant industry topics through conference presentations and as an educator at SLCC. Many younger licensed surveyors remember with fondness and dread his Control Surveys course. Dread because of the difficulty of the subject matter and fondness because of the way Brad presents the material. Several past students have thanked him for helping to further their careers.

Brad was also instrumental in compiling and writing the 2015 and 2017 updates of the UDOT Surveying and Geomatics Standards Manual, which is used throughout the state as the literal standard for control, topographic and construction survey specifications. Due to Brad’s educational involvement in the profession, he has also received the 2022 Engineering Educator of the Year nomination from the Utah Council of Land surveyors at the Utah Engineers Council awards ceremony on Feb. 26, 2022.

When asked about these awards, Brad responded, “I fell into the Land Surveying Profession by accident. I was a student in an agricultural engineering program, and the first two courses were on surveying. I fell in love with being in the outdoors and using my wits to solve problems and collect data. After that, I changed my major and never looked back. The profession has been good to me, so I have tried to give back by mentoring future generations. Receiving the recognition from my peers these last few months has touched me deeply, and with much appreciation, I give my thanks!”