2021 Ones to Watch: Jason Ellis, PLS, Survey Manager/Associate, Hancock Associates

Which project, deal, or transaction was the “game-changer” in the advancement of your career? The acquisition of H.W. Moore Associates (an engineering firm in Boston) was a “game-changer” in the advancement of my career. Wayne Jalbert, PLS (president) and Scott Jalbert, PLS (senior vice president) gave me an opportunity to move from our Danvers office to Boston to give H.W. Moore a survey presence in the city by creating a survey department.

What led you to your current profession? Believe it or not, I answered an ad in the Boston Globe back in the late 1990s. At the time, I had recently graduated from Westfield State College with a Geography and Regional Planning degree and was lost as to what I wanted to do. I read the ad, found it interesting and interviewed the next day with Wayne, who was the vice president at the time. After a week of working as part of a survey field crew, I was hooked and knew this is what I wanted to do for my career.

What advice can you offer to someone who is interested in a career in your industry? The best advice I can give someone who is interested in a career in land surveying would be to just get involved! Find a good local company and start working as part of a field crew conducting surveys in the field. There is so much history out there waiting to be found/recovered. Take the time to learn from the experienced Party Chief and once you do, you will be hooked and know land surveying is the career for you. I know I did.

Who was/is your mentor and how did s/he influence/help you in your career? Scott Jalbert, PLS (senior vice president) was and still is my mentor here at Hancock. He has been my mentor ever since I was a Staff Surveyor just learning AutoCAD. Scott has the ability to not only challenge me but also give me the confidence to pursue my goals. He, along with Wayne, were the ones who encouraged me to pursue licensure in Massachusetts and also gave me the confidence that I could do it. Without Scott as my mentor, I wouldn’t be where I am today.