experience
Combs graduated from Murray State University with a degree in civil engineering technology. He is licensed as a surveyor in multiple states and has enjoyed living and working in Kentucky, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. He has been involved with YSN since 2017, assisting the New Mexico Young Surveyors as well as serving as an officer for YSN for five years. He and his wife founded Bona Fide Surveying in 2021, which has been a lifetime dream. They have two children and enjoy the sunshine and outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer.
How did surveying become a passion of yours?
I basically fell in love with surveying after my first surveying course, plane surveying, at Murray State University. The combination of being outside, using applied math, and the complexity required was an obvious win for me. After that class and my first summer surveying, I never considered anything else.
How is the NSPS Young Surveyors Network helping to shape the future of surveying and why is that important to you?
Being part of YSN has been instrumental for me to have the courage to start a surveying company with my wife. Surveying is a small community and connections matter. YSN is all about getting involved with the state and national organizations and lifting each other up to achieve our goals.
What are your overall thoughts on the future of surveying? Biggest opportunities? Biggest challenges?
Surveying will have a bright future. In my experience, there is less general knowledge of surveying, let alone licensed surveyors and survey technicians, on top of the fact that more surveying services are in demand. I think the opportunities are everywhere in surveying; however, if you can become an expert at a niche in surveying, you will always excel. Our biggest challenge, which is a current challenge, is a lack of numbers in the industry. We just need more people getting into surveying.
What type of surveying are you doing now?
I do a lot of construction surveying, as well as boundary and topographic surveying.
What advice would you give to those who are considering becoming a PS?
Get started as soon as you can towards your professional license, make as many connections as you can, and don’t stop making progress.
