My name is Paul, I currently reside in Nampa, Idaho; and career of choice is in the field of Cartography. I graduated from a small town high school located in Mountain Grove, MO. in the region known for 'hillbillies'. Namely the Ozark Mountains. Our home was about 40 miles Northeast of Branson, MO, currently known as the "Live Country Music Capitol" for the many live country music theatres located there today.

I graduated from college in Springfield, MO with a degree in Mechanical Drafting & ET. But, after 3 months in the position of a Reinforced Steel Detailer, and 6 months as a Mechanical Designer for a local manufacturer of air ride suspensions in Springfield, MO; My passion for mapping the earth drew me to the state of Alaska. It was in Fairbanks, AK where I began my career in Cartography with the Bureau of Land Management. Six months with Title and Land Status as a Cadastal Mapper, and following the end of the winter, I decided it would be best to move to Alaska's sun belt in Anchorage. I put in transfer to the Federal Building in Anchorage, Alaska. Starting in a Cartographer position, it was not long before I was promoted to Cadastral Training Officer, and Lead Cartographic Reviewer for the Title & Land Status Section.

After 2 years, I found myself somewhat unsatisfied as I wanted more. My desire was to explore the latest technologies in what today we call Geographic Information Systems. It just happened that with BLM's new Interior Secretary, Cecil Andrus; the election win of the late President Reagan to his first in office; and the opening of a new position generated by the insertion of federal funding into the Photogrammetry Dept of BLM; that I realized an opportunity like this only happens a few times in one's life. So I applied for the new position in Photogrammetry as a Digital Cartographer.

The federal govt. that year funded a new satellite based mapping technology using Tektronics Digital technology, aireal photography, 3 dimensional conversion of Land Sat satellite photos from 2 dimensional media sources for elevation determination, and the BLM proprietary software designed for the computer aided mapping by use of polygon closure. It was a swift and economical way to map and manage the public domain's resources, inventory and survey geologic minerals, maintain fire management, and survey the vast frontiers of America's largest swathe of public lands within the shortest time period. The trade off of course was the establishment of a cadastral survey database involving both digital, and field surveys.

I was in heaven for a couple of years, but moved on when I realized that it was a short term project, and rumoured to be dismantled in budget cuts within a 3 to 5 year period. So I left after 2 years and moved to Twin Falls, Idaho where my family was located at the time. There I met my wife of 17 years, and discovered the real effects of joblessness in recessionary time periods. You could not pay for a job in the early 1980's in Southern Idaho. Back then, the state had next to no growth to speak of, and the primary industry was Agriculture based food processing (Simplots, french fries, etc.) followed by secondary industries like Boise Cascade (logging & paper mills), and silver - gold mining. Well, the recession took care of mills and mines while Canadian excesses with logging and agricultural exports into Idaho finished off the rest.

I searched for a year and half and eventually discovered County Assessors hire mapping professionals for title and land status cadastral mapping also. It was my ignorance in preparing resumes which kept me out of those positions. Finally, an Assessor in the county next to the capitol of Idaho, Canyon County, offered a position in the mapping dept. as a mapper. I took it without thinking about what it paid, because when theres no money, unemployment runs out in 2 days, & the job offered is in your field, who cares about the money! I took the job.

Interestingly, I have found in life, that no matter what a person does with regards to a career choice. There always are contributory applications to other professions and fields of work. And within 6 months, the Assessor transferred me into an appraisal position. I had no idea what an appraisal was, but when I learned after 2 years, my 22 year appraisal career became a true calling. I found a passion for work within a mapping career I believed was a passion. How ironic! Two assessment offices in Idaho over a 12 year period, a professional real estate appraisal designation, a state certification for a 10 year period of self - employment in an appraisal business and a state license for Property Tax Appraisal are among my achievements and track record.

In in the early years of the 2000's, I retired from self - employment in appraisal and took off a year. During this period I made sure both my son and daughter had good starts following high school, and strived to reinforce a faltering marriage. My kids are both on their way towards their goals now, but the marriage failed.

For about a year I worked for a national title company in GIS, returned to college, and that is were I am today. My new passion or calling I feel is in Teaching. So I am currently working to recieve both an education degree with certifications in math and science.

And that is my profile.