Following in the footsteps of his paternal grandfather Tom and his father John, Bretton Luckow is a third generation Land Surveyor from the state of Arizona. He fills a multi-dimensional field and office role for Arizona Surveying as a Field Crew Chief on boundary, topographic and construction surveys along with being the primary surveyor and mapper responsible for projects utilizing our aerial drone.
Family Ties
During summer breaks when Bretton was a young boy, his dad would be getting ready to leave for a day of field work and would sometimes ask: “Hey Bretton, you wanna come to work with me today?” Being outdoors with dad was a welcome change from the boring summer routine around the house so he would jump at the chance.
And so began his journey as a Land Surveyor, watching and learning while carrying the stake bag around for his dad. As he got older and more familiar with the equipment and routines, his dad would get him more involved in the work, challenging him with increasingly advanced surveying tasks.
Bretton continued helping his dad and getting familiar with the profession throughout high school in Flagstaff and college at NAU where he studied Biology. After college, seeking some adventure and life experience, he became a conductor for BNSF railroad in North Dakota. For 3-1/2 years he had the responsibility of safely moving massive train cars around in a high-pressure, time-sensitive environment where even one small mistake could cost lives. He left the position with the respect of his peers and a great deal of confidence knowing he had done the job well and could operate safely and effectively in high-pressure work situations.
After his railroad work, Bretton joined his dad again at Arizona Surveying and re-dedicated himself to the family business and profession. Along with his Crew Chief duties, he’s the person at Arizona Surveying primarily responsible for operating our DJI Phantom 4 Pro aerial drone. He’s a FAA Licensed sUAS Pilot, able to safely and efficiently operate our drone in a variety of Land Surveying situations. He also produces the maps and deliverable products our drone collects photographic data for.
Bretton has recently started down the path to becoming a Licensed Land Surveyor like his dad and grandfather before him by studying for the required national and state exams. He is preparing himself for leadership roles as evidenced by his own words:
“I look forward to seeing what direction technology takes our profession. I’m ready, willing and able to learn and keep up with the trends that will streamline our day to day workflow for ourselves and for our clients.”
Bretton Luckow
