The Geoholics

In this episode of The Geoholics, we go full geospatial nerd mode with several leaders from the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) — a professional organization that’s been shaping the mapping and imaging sciences since 1934. That’s right… these folks were advancing mapping science before lidar was cool and long before anyone thought strapping cameras to drones was a good idea.

Joining the show are Dr. Balaji Ramachandran, Dr. Unal Okyay, Bill Swope, and Scott Dunham, representing the ASPRS Gulf South Region, where they’re working to grow a tight-knit geospatial community across Texas and Louisiana. From certifications to conferences to career-changing connections, this episode dives into why professional organizations still matter in an industry evolving at warp speed.

We kick things off at 30,000 feet discussing what ASPRS actually does and why surveyors, drone pilots, photogrammetrists, lidar specialists, and GIS pros should care. With nearly a century of history behind it, ASPRS has helped establish standards, promote education, and advance technologies that form the backbone of modern geospatial workflows.

The conversation also digs into ASPRS certifications — including Certified Photogrammetrist (CP) and Certified Mapping Scientist (CMS) — and how these credentials can elevate careers, validate expertise, and help professionals stand out in a rapidly growing field. 

We also preview the ASPRS Gulf South Geospatial Conference, happening at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, where attendees can expect technical sessions on topics like mobile lidar for railroads, geospatial accuracy standards, photorealistic 3D visualization, and lidar data assessment — plus a panel discussion moderated by your very own Geoholics host....Mr. Kent Groh!

Beyond the tech talk, the episode highlights initiatives like the Jim Gillis Memorial Education Fund, which helps remove financial barriers for students and young professionals pursuing careers in mapping sciences — proving that investing in the next generation is just as important as pushing the technology forward.

Organizations like ASPRS play a critical role in maintaining standards, professional credibility, and ethical practice as geospatial technology becomes more accessible to everyone.

If you care about the future of geospatial technology, professional credibility, and building a stronger community in the mapping sciences, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Music by Pink Floyd!

This week, the crew sit down with Brian Owens, VP of Safety & Team Development at Buesing Corp., author, songwriter, and a leader whose philosophy challenges the industry to rethink what safety really means. Drawing from a career spanning combat engineering, mining, oil & gas, and heavy civil construction, Brian introduces listeners to the concept of “inversion” — the idea that true safety culture isn’t built through rules and enforcement, but through perspective, connection, and shared humanity. 

Rather than treating safety as compliance paperwork or a reaction to incidents, Brian explains why behavior only changes when people understand why safety matters to each other — not just to policy. The discussion dives into the tension many organizations face between production and protection, revealing why separating safety from productivity may actually create more risk instead of less.

Throughout the episode, storytelling takes center stage. Brian shares lessons learned from high-risk environments where leadership presence, vulnerability, and trust made the difference between near-misses and tragedies. The conversation explores how leaders can recognize performative safety cultures, shift from reactive investigation cycles, and build what he calls a “zero-incident mindset” — a cultural belief system rather than a metric.

Listeners will walk away with practical insights, including:

-Why compliance alone rarely changes behavior

-How perspective reshapes risk awareness

-The role of humility and leadership vulnerability on jobsites

-Small “inversions” organizations can implement immediately

-Why safety and production must operate as one system, not competing priorities

At its core, Episode 273 reminds us that safety isn’t about preventing failure — it’s about valuing people enough to change how we see one another at work.

Song of the Week from the Phoenix-based High Lonesome Drifters.

This week on The Geoholics, we fire up the mics, and dive head-first into something bigger than business, bigger than titles… bigger than ego.

Legacy.

Our guest, Mikel Bowman — President of Bowman Legacies, leadership coach, keynote speaker, and best-selling author of Lead From the Middle — joins us to talk about the difference between being remembered… and actually making a difference.

Spoiler alert:
-Legends get applause.
-Legacies change lives.

Mikel doesn’t preach leadership from a boardroom. He talks about getting in the dirt with your people — job sites, shop floors, and real-world pressure where culture either shows up… or falls apart. From near-miss moments on projects to coaching CEOs and first-timers alike, he shares why servant leadership, mindset shifts, and culture-first thinking are the real levers that save teams (and sometimes lives).

We unpack:

Why culture beats process every time

The biggest leadership blind spots managers don’t want to admit

What separates managers from leaders from legacy builders

How one tough question can silence a room — and spark real change

And why leadership starts in the messy middle, not the corner office

This episode hits home for anyone leading crews, projects, families, or companies — especially those of us in survey, geospatial, and construction who know leadership isn’t theory… it’s boots-on-the-ground reality.

If you’ve ever thought:

“There’s got to be a better way to lead…”

This one’s for you.

Because at the end of the day…It’s not about building your résumé...It’s about building people...And building something that outlives you!

Music by Metallica!!

Buckle up, Geoholics… this one’s for the builders, the dreamers, and the tech rebels.

This week we sit down with Marc Goldman — part storyteller, part pilot, part GIS evangelist, and 100% believer that location intelligence is the secret sauce behind the future of the built environment.

Marc didn’t follow the “safe” path. He walked away from architecture and engineering school at 21 to start his first AEC-tech company — betting on himself before “startup culture” was even a thing. Thirty years later, after navigating startups, global orgs, and everything in between, he’s still pushing the industry forward… helping architects, engineers, and surveyors finally see how GIS connects all the dots.

And trust us… this isn’t just a “software talk”...this is mindset stuff.

We get into:

Taking big risks early and why failure is the best professor

The real difference between startups and enterprise culture

Bridging the gap between CAD, BIM, and spatial thinking

Where GIS actually delivers value (not just buzzwords)

Digital twins, reality capture, and what’s practical vs hype

Leading teams through change without losing your people

Inspiring early-career pros to find their lane in AEC tech

And what’s next… AI, interoperability, and the data-driven future of our industry

Marc’s passion is contagious — especially when he talks about helping the next generation “take flight” (literally and figuratively). His analogies from flying airplanes to flying careers hit home in true Geoholics fashion.

If you’ve ever wondered how survey, GIS, BIM, and reality capture finally come together into one ecosystem, this episode connects the dots.

Big energy. Big perspective. Big future.

So whether you’re in the field, the office, or cruising at 30,000 feet...hit play and let’s map it out.

As always — Add value. Make friends. TITS OUT & CHIN UP!

Music by Pink Floyd!

This week the Geoholics crew sits down with Rob Cammack — entrepreneur, builder, and CEO/Founder of SmartDrone — a guy who’s basically been innovating since most of us were trading baseball cards. From launching businesses as a kid to founding and selling multiple companies, Rob brings that rare mix of grit, vision, and “there’s gotta be a better way” thinking that our industry desperately needs.

We dive headfirst into the origin story behind Magellan, the first “No Drone Expert Required” LiDAR drone — and why it’s flipping the script on how survey firms adopt technology. No six-figure science projects. No “drone guy risk.” Just practical robotics that turn everyday crews into productivity machines.

But this episode isn’t just about hardware — it’s about mindset.

Rob talks:

-Building companies (and selling them) without losing your soul

-Removing friction so surveyors can focus on surveying

-Why LiDAR is the great unlock for mapping pros stuck in camera-only workflows

-How robotics can upgrade people, not replace them

-What “world-class talent” really looks like in a tech-driven survey company

-And where the surveying industry is headed in the next 5–10 years

It’s equal parts leadership, innovation, and straight-up field practicality — the kind of conversation that makes you rethink how your team operates Monday morning.

If you care about LiDAR, drones, scaling your survey operations, or building a future-proof business…
this one’s a must-listen.

Because sometimes innovation isn’t about flying higher…it’s about making it simple enough that everyone can fly.

Music by The Killers!