Greg Clary is the owner and president of Clary & Associates, Inc., a professional surveying and mapping company.
WHY SURVEYING?
“While in college, I fell in love with land surveying when I discovered its historical roots. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were land surveyors. Many of our founding fathers have their roots in land surveying because when our country was laid out, it had to be laid out by someone. We as surveyors were the original professionals in the country and our roots are real strong.”
MAKING HISTORY
“I may record a plat for a subdivision. That record plat is put on the public records and it is there forever. The information that we use to establish boundaries relates to 100 or 200 years ago and we use that historical record to recreate and perpetuate boundaries and ownership lines. When you look at the roots of our country, private ownership is the very heart of the freedom of our country, so surveying and mapping is rooted into establishing private property limits and ownership rights. We are tied into the law, engineering field and the concept of private property ownership.”
HIS ROLE WITH THE COMPANY
As president of the company, he is hands-on with the work and approves about 90 percent of the surveys that come through the company. “I don’t just see them, I supervise them. I tell them what I want done. We then establish the procedures and policies and how we will go about doing our business. I’m in charge of about 90 percent of the private surveys that are done. I oversee and am responsible for the surveying techniques, hiring of personnel and client relations. I work with most of the private clients such as developers and builders.”
WHAT DOES HE LIKE ABOUT THE JOB?
“What I like is the privilege of being a part of probably the most important investment a person makes. Plus, the fact that we have a critical role in the development of the community. When we put our surveys on public record, they stay forever. You can design a project, and it may be destroyed and rebuilt, but the boundaries will remain. The privilege of being a surveyor is that what I do today is affecting generations of people. So that’s pretty cool to me to be a part of a long-term thing that makes your mark.”
HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN IN BUSINESS?
Twenty years.
THE SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS
“We have good employees and excellent clients. Our staff is, in my opinion, the best in Jacksonville. We have some good long-term employees that have helped us grow as a firm.”
TECHNOLOGY PAVES THE WAY
“When I started, the technology wasn’t even heard of. From a technological standpoint, the business and profession has rapidly taken a different pathway. We have different skill sets that are required to perform the work today. From a technical standpoint, it is much more difficult. But, from an end result standpoint, I think it is better. We can provide a higher level of accuracy and a more efficient method of providing the end result. We are able to provide a lot higher grade of service than we were before.”
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES?
Almost 50.
OTHER DUTIES
The company provides subdivision surveying and platting, GPS surveys, transportation design and right-of-way surveys, topographical surveys, condominium surveys, subsurface utility designation and vacuum excavation and Geographic Information System services.
HIS CLIENTS?
Real estate professionals, government entities and the general public.
WHY HIS OWN COMPANY?
“My vision was to open my own company since I began surveying. I wanted to give a high level of service to my clients and I also wanted to do it in a fashion that would be a little better than what I was able to working for other firms. As a professional, having my own practice would allow me to establish my own standards, my own methodology and how I approached my work. Having the ability and freedom to do that was what I was trying to accomplish.”
HIS TOP CHALLENGE
“The biggest challenge that I face is keeping a vision of the profession and the vision of the future that I want this business to grow into. I am making sure that I have clearly set a path and direction for the benefit of my clients and employees so that I don’t mis-steer the ship. I want to make sure the ship is heading in the right way. The vision of the future is to continue to be on the cutting edge of service to my clients. I want to make sure we give them the highest level of service by utilizing the latest technology available, the best personnel I can possibly field to make sure they get the best possible service they can get and to maintain a high level of professional presence in the community by supporting the community and our city. The big deal is to keep all that in balance and to get there.”
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
He is a member of the Florida Society of Professional Land Surveyors, American Congress On Surveying & Mapping, FSPLS Florida Crown Chapter, associate member of the Florida Engineering Society, former chair and member of the Florida Board of Land Surveyors, former director of the Northeast Florida Homebuilder Association, member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and the Association of Information Technology Professionals
SOME PERSONAL DATE
Clary was born in Dayton, Ohio and raised in Savannah. When Clary is not working, he enjoys hunting. He has been married to Tina for 30 years. They have four children, Alan, April, Jennifer and Joni, and six grandchildren.