HOW HAS JOE ORR CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND HOW HAVE YOU ADAPTED TO THOSE CHANGES?
Most of the changes that I have seen in my 50+ years working at Joe Orr have been technology-driven. My father, David Mayo, was always investing heavily in modern surveying and office equipment. Now, as part of the Binkley & Barfield Family of Companies and Baseline Company, Joe Orr continues to update to the latest and highest quality equipment and software. We have also expanded our physical area of services and regularly provide surveying for Binkley & Barfield projects up to 100 miles away from College Station.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOB TO A CHILD?
I actually have recent experience at this, giving presentations to grade-school kids at a local natural history museum summer camp. “Surveyors measure and map the land” is what I tell them. I explain that surveyors are professionals who can measure distances of thousands of feet to an accuracy of ¼ inch or less. Then we draw property maps and topographic maps to show the results of our measurements graphically. This is used by people who are buying, selling, or building something on the land. It is surprising to hear the great questions I get from the young kids, and I hope some of them start thinking about surveying as a career.
IF YOU WEREN’T A SURVEY PROFESSIONAL, WHAT CAREER COULD YOU SEE YOURSELF HAVING?
If you asked me this 20 years ago, I would have said that I would probably be a carpenter or construction worker. I like building things and working outdoors. Now, as I am starting to think of my retirement years, I plan to spend more time recording the history of my community and my family. I would like to create multimedia history ‘books’ with lots of photos and maps.
THE GREATEST AUTHOR IN THE WORLD HAS DECIDED TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR LIFE. WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE OF YOUR BOOK?
Henry P Mayo – Surveyor & Historian…I would not mind having that on my headstone as well. 😊
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