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Friday Webinar Series

Join us on a Friday of every month as we present lectures on a variety of business, project management and surveying subjects. All from the
convenience of your office! And most courses have been approved for NY CE credit! Register on our website, www.nysapls.org.

Featured March Program… Featured April Program…

Digital Signatures, Seals and Data Colonial Surveys
Presented by Timothy W. Burch, LS Presented by Eric Gladhill, PLS
March 7, 2025 April 4, 2025
Registration Fees: $75 members, $99 non-members Registration Fees: $75 members, $99 non-members
1.0 NY CE hour for LS/PE 1.0 NY CE hour for LS/PE
As we bravely navigate what is known as the Fourth Industrial This course will cover the beginnings of land surveying in America,
Revolution, the surveying and geospatial professions work in and when land grants from the crown of England allowed private citizens
create data for a digital environment. Along with the advancements of (land developers) to separate parcels of land to sell to immigrants
productivity and capability are legal and ethical challenges of utilizing from Europe to settle the land. Various tools of the surveying profession
digital data from many sources. Part of the professional surveyor’s and old deed descriptions from the early years will be shown and
duties is to attest for the work completed by them and/or under their discussed. A federal court case, which involved ancient deed
direction, but what if some of the data is not theirs to certify? And how descriptions int he mountains of Western Maryland will be outlined
do our laws apply to “signing” professional opinions of a survey plat? and discussed. This hearing granted adverse possession against the
Digital seals and signatures differ from electronic signatures, so this state of Maryland, which is contrary to the norm.
session will explore what is the right tool for the surveyor to utilize. By the end of this session participants will be able to:
By the end of this session participants will be able to: 1. Explain the history of the beginnings of land surveying in the
1. Explain the differences between electronic versus digital seals Eastern USA.
and signatures and it matters legally. 2. Explain the difficulties in reading and understanding ancient
2. How and why open-source data can be a help and a hindrance deeds and know how they were prepared.
to professional liability. 3. Describe the process of appearing in federal court as an expert
3. Describe various ways to protect the professional’s liability and witness.
reputation through effective data management. About our Speaker
About our Speaker Eric B. Gladhill, PLS has over 45 years of experience in the surveying
Timothy W. Burch, PLS, is the Executive Director of the National Society profession. He has worked on boundary surveys, topographic surveys,
of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). He also served as President-Elect, Vice title surveys, GPS control, and construction stakeout. His work has
President, and Secretary (2015-2019) of the NSPS Board of Directors, primarily been in South-Central Pennsylvania and Western Maryland. He
and as Governor/Director representing Illinois (2007-2014). Tim has has presented surveying workshops in Kansas and Pennsylvania. He has
been involved with the organization for more than 20 years as a member written a book about the interesting people that he has met while
of the Certified Survey Technician Board, Joint Government Affairs, and surveying and is a monthly contributor to xyHT Magazine. He currently
ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey committees. Tim serves as Chair for the serves as the Director of Survey Services for KERAMIDA Environmental,
International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Commission 1 (Professional Inc. surveying, mapping and GIS. He is a nationally known speaker and
Standards, 2023-2026) and serves as the Advisory Committee of lecturer on these subjects and writes a column called “The Business
Commission Chairs representative to the FIG Council. He also led the Side” for a trade magazine. Mr. Denny recently finished publishing a
local organizing group in partnering with FIG to host the annual Working book on the history of surveying measurement called “Surveying the
Week 2023 in Orlando. As part of his role as NSPS Executive Director, Tim Land: Survey Measurement Devices 1620 to 1920”. He is currently serving
serves as association liaison to the International Property Measurement on the Board of the Surveyor’s Historical Society and teaches part time
Standards and International Ethics Standards working groups as well as for the Alabama Society of Professional Land Surveyors.
maintaining communication with like minded surveying associations
from around the world. In addition to content manager for NSPS social
media, Tim is the creator and producer of the NSPS podcast “Surveyor
Says! The NSPS Bulletin.” He also serves as a Brand Ambassador for the
“Get Kids into Survey” (GKIS) initiative created by Elaine Ball and was
instrumental in establishing NSPS as the North America distributor for
.nysapls.org
R
egister online at www
the GKIS posters and educational material. Mr. Burch is a Professional Register online at www.nysapls.org
Land Surveyor, licensed in the States of Illinois and Wisconsin. He lives
with his wife, Susan, in West Virginia.
EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 61 • NO 2 / 2025 • MARCH/APRIL 13