Thank you to everyone

 Lauren McKenzie from the Marietta-based law firm Bentley, Bentley, and Bentley. McKenzie is an “Of Counsel” attorney with diverse civil litigation experience including eminent domain, real estate, and complex commercial litigation cases. The topic up for discussion was how to avoid pitfalls with eminent domain. Lauren covered the most common missteps a Right-of-Way agent can make during acquisition which could lead to delays should negotiations end with legal action.  

Matthew Alexander is a Senior Project Manager at Rochester & Associates/DCCM bringing over 20 years of experience in surveying to the table. He is knowledgeable about the advantages and disadvantages of technologies like GIS. While GIS can provide a quick overview, it may lack accuracy; therefore, the best advice remains: always… Get It Surveyed! We appreciate Matt for sharing his expertise and for his role as our Chapter 22 Survey Chair. 

Just before lunch, we had the incredible opportunity to listen to the inspirational story of Jacee Beth Thomas, a young woman whose life was changed in an instant. On May 24, 2016, Jacee was struck by an oncoming train and was dragged for nearly 1,700 feet before the train was able to come to a stop.  As a result, she suffered from a broken collarbone, a few tiny cuts, and a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as a result of shearing her brain at the stem. Jacee spoke with us about her desire to continue to live life to the fullest and her lifelong goal to compete on the world stage as a competitive team roper.  

  We started the after-lunch session with Anthony and Jon from CSX, who spoke about permitting and their real estate ventures. They also briefly discussed private crossings and how tragic incidents like what happened to Jaycee Beth could happen. 

 Then we heard Trinia Morris who serves as a program manager and wildlife biologist with the Wildlife Conservation Section (WCS) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR). Trinia enlightened the group on the ecological importance of Bats.  

  Former Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Eric Murray, spoke next about why a Review Appraiser is a friend rather than adversary. Murray has over 36 years of right of way acquisition, appraisal services and appraisal review. 

 Leading us into the late afternoon was Marshall Wainright from the Federal Highway Administration. The topic at the forefront was Relocation Planning and Assistance. Wainright has roughly 25 years' experience in government realty/right of way acquisition. 

 Finally wrapping up our day of speakers, was Jamie McCurry from the Georgia Ports Authority. Jamie oversees contracts, properties & planning, purchasing, governmental affairs and many other things for the Authority. McCurry spoke about the growth of the Savannah port as a major player on the global stage for imports and exports.