Wilson & Associates Joins SAM, National Geospatial Leader

From local roots to national reach, Wilson & Associates begins its next chapter of growth

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — After more than five decades of growth from its Williamson County roots, Wilson & Associates, P.C., has joined SAM (Surveying And Mapping, LLC), a national geospatial and inspection services company, giving the Tennessee firm greater resources and capabilities to serve its clients while strengthening its presence throughout the Southeast.
The acquisition allows the 54-year-old company to build on the relationships, technical expertise and local leadership that have shaped its growth throughout Tennessee and the Southeast.
“For us, this is about building on what has made WA successful and creating more opportunities for our clients and our people,” said Joey C. Wilson II, PE, PS, president and CEO of WA. “We have grown tremendously, both in the work we perform and the capabilities we can offer, never losing sight of who we are or how we take care of our clients. Joining SAM gives us the opportunity to continue that growth while opening new doors for our employees and expanding what we can offer our clients.”
Founded in Franklin in 1972 by Joe Charles Wilson, WA began as a two-person operation. His sons, Joey and Justin Wilson, grew up in Williamson County and began working for the company at young ages. Joey graduated from Brentwood High School and earned his civil engineering degree from Tennessee Tech, while Justin graduated from Centennial High School. The brothers purchased the business from their father when he retired in 2011, with Joey assuming leadership of the company and Justin continuing to play an integral role in its growth, now serving as vice president and director of Sales and Estimating.
The brothers are joined on the senior leadership team by Jonathan Bailey, PS, vice president and director of Construction Surveying Services, and Jon Slemp, PE, PS, vice president and director of Survey Design Services.
Under Joey’s leadership, WA has grown from fewer than 30 employees to almost 90 today, while expanding its geographic reach and technical capabilities — growth that has also brought professional careers to smaller communities.
That growth has included significant investment in emerging surveying and geospatial technologies. WA was an early adopter of unmanned aircraft technology, becoming the first firm in the industry in Tennessee to obtain an FAA Section 333 exemption for drone operations. The company has continued to invest in advanced aerial and ground-based data collection, LiDAR, 3D modeling and other technologies that allow clients to better understand existing conditions and make informed project decisions.
WA has expanded well beyond its roots in traditional land surveying and construction staking. Today, the company provides a broad range of surveying, geospatial and utility engineering services for transportation and infrastructure projects as well as commercial, industrial and residential development.
WA’s history in Middle Tennessee includes work on some of the Nashville area’s most recognizable infrastructure. For instance, the company provided construction layout for the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, originally known as the Gateway Bridge, which spans the Cumberland River near downtown Nashville.
“My dad built this company around doing quality work and taking care of people,” Joey Wilson said. “As we grew, we added technology, services, offices and people, but those fundamentals did not change. This gives us another opportunity to grow while protecting the things that have made WA successful.”
Through SAM, WA clients will have access to additional national resources, personnel and technology, as well as expanded services that include GIS and construction and utility investigations.
“WA brings significant experience, strong technical capabilities and long-tenured, trusted relationships in key strategic markets,” said Chris Solomon, RPLS, president and CEO of SAM. “By bringing our teams together, we are strengthening our presence in Tennessee and across the Southeast while expanding the expertise and resources available to our clients.”
WA will continue serving its Southeast clients from its Franklin, Cookeville and Johnson City offices, as well as its established field offices.
ABOUT WA
Founded in 1972, Wilson & Associates Engineering and Surveying, P.C. is one of the state’s largest geomatics firms and is headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., with additional offices in Cookeville and Johnson City and field offices in Chattanooga and eastern North Carolina. The company provides land and route surveying, construction surveying and staking, subsurface utility engineering and utility coordination, aerial mapping and remote sensing, LiDAR, hydrographic surveying and 3D data and modeling services. WA serves transportation, utility, municipal, commercial, industrial and land development clients throughout Tennessee and the Southeast.
Learn more at www.wilsonpc.com.
ABOUT SAM
SAM is one of the most trusted brands in geospatial services and the leading scaled, independent platform serving critical infrastructure markets including utilities, transportation and energy, with roots dating back to 1994. The company delivers an integrated suite of solutions across land and aerial surveying, subsurface utility engineering, construction and asset inspection, and digital data management, serving a diversified, blue-chip base of investor-owned utilities, transportation agencies, energy providers and other infrastructure owners. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, SAM employs over 1,800 professionals.
For more information on SAM, please visit www.sam.biz.