Each year, the Utah Council of Land Surveyors (UCLS) recognizes professionals who have made notable contributions to the field. At the 2025 UCLS Convention, two surveyors were honored for their dedication and impact on the profession.
Riley Lindsay was named Surveyor of the Year in recognition of his professional achievements and service within the surveying community. His work reflects a strong commitment to the industry and the advancement of best practices.
Ryan Savage received the Lifetime Achievement Award, acknowledging his long career and contributions to land surveying in Utah. His years of experience and involvement have helped shape the profession and support future generations of surveyors.
This article features the nomination letters submitted by UCLS members.
2024 Surveyor of the Year Riley Lindsay
Riley Lindsay is the ROW/utilities manager for UDOT Region 4 and has worked at UDOT for the last 10 years.
Riley has worked to influence younger generations to investigate and pursue land survey careers within the public and private sectors. He has overseen numerous rotational employees in the Land Survey Department at UDOT and goes above and beyond to train new hires. He is open to sharing all his knowledge about land surveying and shows his enthusiasm through his work ethic. Riley has also worked to create land survey positions for interns in order to benefit others and our community. He is dedicated to his land surveyor profession and is a great influence on the UCLS community.
Riley is at the forefront of technology when it comes to utilizing new surveying tools and software. He is a member of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and is on a national committee for implementing new training and ideas as the UAS leg of land surveying evolves in the future. He was invited to attend Clemson University in January to participate in the pilot program flight proficiency test for UAS pilot classifications. Riley represented our state and UDOT as a member of this committee.
2024 UCLS Lifetime Achievement Award Ryan Savage
Ryan has been surveying in Utah since the early ‘80s when he began as an apprentice to Rowen Butler in Richfield, Utah.
His surveying career has spanned much of the West, completing seismic surveying in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and California in his early career. He later settled in Utah, became a Utah Licensed Land Surveyor in 1993 and obtained his Nevada license a few years later. He has mentored many in the industry and has owned and run his own company from 2005-23 in the central Utah area.
Ryan has worked in the surveying profession for over 40 years. He is very thorough in his work, and in helping others understand the principles behind completing an accurate survey. Ryan has been a great mentor for other young surveyors as they progress in their field.
Ryan started out in the surveying profession as a helper. By keeping his eyes and ears open as to what was being done, he learned the ins and outs of surveying. He studied and learned on his own while working as a surveyor. Ryan gained the skills and the knowledge to become a professional surveyor and has been an asset to those he worked for and with in the profession.
