Donald Groesser, P.L.S., a Vice President and Corporate Survey/Geospatial Practice Lead, has won the Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors (PSLS) 2021 Surveyor of the Year award. Don has been involved with PSLS since he moved to Pennsylvania in 2014, was the president of the Southwest Chapter, is currently involved in several committees, and became the Standards of Practice Chair in 2020 – which drafted newly adopted Standards of Practice for surveyors in Pennsylvania. Prior to his move, he was an active member of the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association, serving as its president in 2012.
Don has an impressive 36-year career and is a Professional Land Surveyor in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, and Wisconsin. In his acceptance speech, he recalled when he was “an ignorant 18-year-old,” and his first boss told him during his interview that becoming a Professional Land Surveyor was the same as being a doctor or a lawyer — “that when I signed my name with ‘P.L.S.’ after it, I could be proud of my occupation.” Throughout his speech, Don talked about how proud he is of his twelve children and one grandchild. He thanked his wife, who is his “best friend and encourager” and his parents for giving him lasting lessons that help him in his job and personal life to this day. “My parents modeled for me, and I wanted to model for my kids, the idea that you should work hard and be grateful for everything you have in life,” says Don.
Don says being active in PSLS “was a way to give back to the profession and work again with others who love surveying.” Through PSLS, he met Pete Brothers and Vince Paparella. Because of that connection, he was able to convince both Pete and Vince to join CEC, where they both now serve as principals in our Survey/Geospatial practice. During his speech, he called the team at CEC “the best geospatial team on the planet.” Don says, “We’ve all worked hard together, and it truly is all of those professional relationships, past and present, that have awarded me this honor, which is very humbling. I just love what I do at CEC and with the PSLS.”
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