Announcements - Winter 2025
- PSLS Office
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Upcoming Events
PSLS Webinars
2026 webinar details coming soon! There will be a free webinar for PSLS members ($45 for non-members) on February 25, 2026 at noon on Federal & State Legislative Issues Affecting the Surveying Profession.
2026 Surveyors’ Conference in Hershey, PA from January 11-14, 2026!
🎉 Last Call - Register for the 2026 PSLS Conference in Hershey! 🎉
Get ready to supercharge your career and spark new connections at this year’s premier Surveying Conference—where innovation, networking, and inspiration collide!
🔥 What’s in store?
Eight tracks with 50+ powerful total sessions packed with actionable insights
35 expert speakers ready to inform and ignite your passion
A new GIS track and a full track dedicated focused on technicians/safety.
A chance to network with 600 professionals from across the surveying industry
🎊 And that’s not all...
Mark your calendar for Monday night’s 3rd Annual Member Appreciation Party—an exclusive evening of fun, food, music, and games right after the banquet. This is your VIP pass to unwind, celebrate, and make memories with your peers!
🚀 Want to showcase your business? Don’t miss our exciting exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities! With hundreds of attendees, it's a golden chance to boost your brand. Plus, this year we’re bringing back the popular Exhibitor Passport Program—a fun, high-impact way to drive traffic to your booth. Attendees will collect stamps, build real connections, and compete for amazing prizes! Any new exhibitors that register will be placed outside the Exhibit Hall in the hallway. We have sold out all booths in the Exhibit Hall.
🌐 Spots are filling fast—don’t wait! Visit our conference website now to register, grab your exhibitor space, and get all the latest details. We can’t wait to welcome you to an unforgettable experience!
2026 PSLS Officers & Committee Chairs
Congratulations to the 2026 PSLS Officers that will be sworn in during the short general membership meeting on January 12, 2026 at the Surveyors’ Conference.
President: Troy Leighty, PLS
President-Elect: Don Groesser, PLS
Vice President: Brian Yorkiewicz, PLS
Secretary: Timothy Rojahn, PLS
Treasurer: Terry McMillen Jr., PLS
Immediate Past President: Dylan Sites, PLS
NSPS Director: Mike Given, PLS
Thanks to the following 2026 Committee Chairs for stepping up to lead these PSLS committees!
Budget & Finance: Terry McMillen Jr.
Business & Professional Relations: Dylan Sites
Bylaws: Terry Siefers
Education: Dylan Sites
Geospatial: Chris Abbott
Leadership Development: Brent Birth
Legislative & Government Affairs: Robert Regola
Membership: Pete Brothers
Past Presidents: Dylan Sites
Public Relations: Gwen Cunningham
Special Recognitions and Awards: Bob Snyder
Standards of Practice: Tentative Chair waiting on employer approval
🏈 PSLS Fantasy Football League Update! 🏆
Monday Night Football on Dec 8 concluded the regular season for the PLS Foundation Football League. The league is now moving into the playoffs. Six of the ten teams qualify for the playoffs. The 2-time Champion Big Mike's Posse (Eastern Division) and the Legion of Doom (Western Division) teams have earned byes. It can be noted that only Big Mike qualified from the Eastern Division and all five teams from the Western Division are moving on.
It was a topsy turvy year for the Foundation teams. The pre-season ESPN poll picked PLI n'at as one of the favorites to win the championship. The Commissioner poll favored both the Ghost Riders and the Hungry, Hungry Hippos as their favorites. All three preseason picks missed the playoffs.
The hottest team going into the playoffs is definitely the Pin Sniffers. Ryan Deglau's squad started the season with a miserable 2-7 record then ran off five straight victories to surge into the post-season. This is definitely a team to watch. On the flip side, the Control Point FT started the season strong, running out to a 5-1 record only to lost stumble to a 2-6 finish to the regular season.
So, now it is do-or-die time for the six remaining contenders. Can Big Mike become a 3-time Champion? Or will the trophy be passed to a new Champion in Hershey? Good luck to all the team managers!
Pete Brothers
Ryan Deglau
Michael Given
Christine Kent
Larry Leso
John Lynch & George Phillippi
Andrew Moncrief
Katherine Shewman
Rich Shewman
Christopher Walker
PASDA Turns 30!
In 2025, Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA) proudly celebrated its 30th anniversary. Established in 1995, PASDA was created as a service to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing free public access to authoritative geospatial data by, for, and about the Commonwealth.
PASDA operates as a cooperative project of the Governor’s Office of Administration, Office for Information Technology, and Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment. Support and funding are provided by the Pennsylvania Office for Information Technology, while Penn State contributes system administration and infrastructure support through the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS).
From its modest beginning—just 35 datasets, including Digital Raster Graphics (USGS Topographic Maps) and early data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection—PASDA has grown into a robust statewide portal hosting thousands of datasets from more than 100 providers.
Today, PASDA continues to serve as Pennsylvania’s trusted geospatial hub, delivering critical data resources for professionals, researchers, and citizens alike. The numbers tell the story:
3.5 million datasets downloaded
556 million site visits
10 million visitors
256 million map services accessed
Applications like the Imagery Navigator, PennPilot, and the PA Underground Mine Map Atlas saw millions of uses in 2025 alone. From PEMA imagery to USGS QL2 lidar, PASDA’s collections continue to expand—both in volume and in user engagement.
But PASDA’s mission is not just about growth—it’s also about stewardship. As we look toward the future, we remain committed to preserving the Commonwealth’s geospatial history. Our extensive archives document nearly 90 years of Pennsylvania’s landscape, from historic aerial photographs to modern parcel data.
In the coming years, PASDA will continue to enhance access to valuable data while developing new services, including expanded 3D data offerings and stronger partnerships across the state. Pennsylvania’s geospatial community and data accessibility will continue to grow through the leadership of the Pennsylvania Geographic Information Officer Scottie Wall as well as the PA Geospatial Coordinating Board. This coupled with ongoing collaborative efforts that strengthen data sharing and coordination across the Commonwealth signal a very bright future for data access in the state.
Above all, PASDA’s success is driven by its users—and PSLS members are a vital part of that community. Your feedback, insights, and support have helped guide PASDA’s evolution over the years (and yes, your alerts when things go down never go unnoticed!).
We’re deeply grateful for your continued engagement and look forward to connecting with you again at the 2026 PSLS Conference in January.
Here’s to 30 years of open data and collaboration—and to an even more connected geospatial future for Pennsylvania.
Membership Partner Program
Thanks to the organizations participating in the 2025 Membership Partner Program. If your organization is interested in participating as a member partner in 2026, please email us at psls@psls.org ASAP and we can adjust your 2026 invoices!
Do you want some PSLS apparel? PSLS now has button-down business shirts and crew neck sweatshirts available in the online PSLS Crew Shop. Thanks to the Delaware Valley Chapter for coordinating the creation and distribution of this apparel. Get yours now before it sells out!
Check out the PA Surveyor Bookstore to purchase books online.
