Marc, speaking of his experience, said:

“Land surveying has been more than a profession for me; it has been a fulfilling, lifelong journey. The physical, mental and spiritual challenges of this work have continually invigorated me. From scaling mountains and hammering rebar into the ground to researching historical surveys and interpreting old deeds, every aspect of surveying has tested and rewarded me.

I started my career at 15 in Cedar City, Utah, under the guidance of my grandpa, Leo Palmer, and my uncle, Roland Palmer, a civil engineer and land surveyor. My first real experience came as an artillery surveyor in the Army, where I spent 30 months in West Germany during the Cold War.

Upon returning home, I joined Echoff, Watson and Preator, where I worked under Ralph Watson, gaining valuable experience in surveying subdivisions. Eventually, my uncle Roland invited me to join his consulting business in Bountiful, Utah, which marked the beginning of my lifelong career in the state.

In 1988, I moved to St. George to work with Bulloch Brothers Engineering, where I had the opportunity to survey various projects in Utah, Nevada and Arizona. Some of my favorite assignments included surveying state park boundaries in Southern Utah, where I marveled at the accuracy of measurements taken 80 years earlier.

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with talented professionals like Keith Coe, Hiram Alba and many others. I also pursued my education, earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Utah in 1986, which led to my PLS licensure in 1987.

As the years passed, I founded Brown Consulting Engineers and continued working on diverse projects, from airports and highways to national parks and monuments. My career took me to places like Samoa and Palau, where I experienced the challenges of international surveying.

None of this would have been possible without the support of my family and colleagues. My wife, Suzanne, was always by my side, helping with the business and even joining survey crews when needed. My daughters also pitched in, running blueprints and assisting with surveys on weekends.

After over 50 years of surveying, I’ve grown to love the profession and the people within it. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the relationships I’ve built along the way. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey.”

Thank you to Marc; we all appreciate the inspiration and contributions you have given to us in this profession by being an exemplary representative of our heritage.