Spotlight on Scott Bliss, PS: From Surveying Foundations to Utility and Energy Insights
PEA Group would like to introduce Scott Bliss, PS, who joined the Auburn Hills Survey Department in November 2025. Scott brings nearly 20 years of surveying experience to his role as Project Manager at PEA Group and holds professional licensure in multiple states, including Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. He is also an active member of the Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors.
To learn more about his background, we caught up with Scott to discuss his journey into the surveying industry and his insights into the Utility and Energy sector.
Discovering the Surveying Profession
Scott’s interest in land surveying did not begin until his junior year of high school, when he was first introduced to surveying equipment in a drafting class. As Scott explains, “My journey into surveying would not be considered a typical path for most in the field. Until my junior year of high school, I had no idea what a land surveyor does or how someone would become one.”
As part of his senior project, Scott contacted a local survey company while researching the history of land surveying and the advancement of survey equipment. Through this experience, he discovered that the field offered a unique combination of physical work, problem solving, and complex mathematics, which he says aligned really well with his personal ambitions.
Scott later attended Ferris State University, enrolling in the Surveying Engineering Program. His path to graduation was not entirely traditional. After attending school for several years, he stepped away to gain full-time experience working in the surveying field before eventually returning to Ferris to complete his degree.
Early Career Experience in Surveying
During the early years of his career, Scott focused primarily on boundary surveys, ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys, and land development work. As his experience grew, he became more involved with advanced technologies used for data collection, noting his interest in “advanced technology methods for data collection to increase productivity, safety, and enhance deliverables to meet client needs.”
Working in the Utilities and Energy Sector
A significant portion of Scott’s career has been spent working within the utilities and energy sector, as well as on projects involving water resources and facilities management.
Surveying in this sector presents unique challenges. Each utility or energy client often operates under its own standards, procedures, and documentation requirements. As Scott explains, “Every utility or energy client is different. Each client typically operates by their own set of rules and standards, so there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for your team to follow.”
Schedules, billing structures, and reporting expectations can vary significantly between clients, making flexibility and organization essential. To succeed in this environment, survey teams must develop standardized internal processes and clear communication strategies to ensure projects run efficiently while still meeting each client’s specific requirements.
Leveraging Technology to Improve Workflows
Scott has always been someone who enjoys tackling challenges and improving processes. Over time, he has developed automated project tracking and documentation workflows that help reduce stress during tight project deadlines while improving coordination within project teams. He notes that applying this problem-solving mindset has allowed him to develop workflows that help teams operate more efficiently when managing complex projects.
He has also spent nearly a decade working with advanced data collection technologies, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), terrestrial LiDAR, and mobile LiDAR systems. According to Scott, “The ability to reduce site visits, provide better visuals of the site, and extract fine details is a game changer in this industry.”
Looking Ahead at PEA Group
Today, Scott brings his technical expertise, problem-solving mindset, and passion for innovation to the PEA Group survey team. His experience with advanced technologies and complex utility-sector projects helps strengthen our ability to deliver efficient, high-quality surveying solutions for our clients.
Scott says he is excited to support the continued growth of PEA Group’s survey services and relationships with clients. “I’m happy to be a part of PEA Group and help continue to grow the already strong relationships within this industry and others through education and the implementation of advanced technologies.”