The Nevada Connection – June 2026

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Chair's Message

Mr Wright was re-elected by the Board to serve a second term as Chair effective July 1, 2026. He was first appointed to the Board by Governor Brian Sandoval in July 2018, reappointed by Governor Steve Sisolak in 2021, and again reappointed by Governor Joe Lombardo in 2023.

We are well into 2026, and our momentum from 2025 continues as we enter another summer.

I’d like to congratulate Matt Gingerich, PLS – Vice Chair, Tom Matter – Public Member, and Michael Kidd, PLS – Board Member for their recent reappointments. We’re glad to have them onthe Board!

This first half of 2026 has been a busy year for our professional land surveyors as they focused their attentions on updating NRS 327 – Nevada Coordinate System to align with the National Geodetic Survey’s Datum update. Several Professional Land Surveyor Sub-committee meetings and a public workshop were convened to discuss the proposed revisions to NRS 327. These changes were reviewed and approved by the Board to move forward as a Bill Draft Request in the upcoming 84th Nevada State Legislative session.

The Board and staff have been working diligently and coordinating with the Office of Nevada Boards, Commissions, and Council Standards (Office), as the Office works to craft regulation updates for NAC 232. The Office provided the boards with proposed updates last fall and has convened two public workshops and an adoption hearing this past winter and spring. The Office adopted their latest version of the regulation updates and submitted them to the Legislative Commission for hearing and possible action on June 30, 2026.

On the compliance front, we have seen an increase in instances where licensees are being impersonated by bad actors, unfortunately. Staff posted a video on the Board’s website to educate the public about engaging professional services and encouraging them to conduct due diligence before hiring from gig or third-party websites. See the article and YouTube link below. Our compliance report also updates activities that have been adjudicated and are now public.

As we approach the June 30 license renewal deadline for licensees with last names S-Z, many professionals are busy totaling their PDH activity. We have produced two videos that help explain how to document your PDH’s and what activities count for PDH credit. See the article and links below.

Enjoy your summer!

BOARD MEMBER ReAPPOINTMENTS

Matt Gingerich, PLS
Board Vice-Chair

Governor Lombardo reappointed Board member Matt Gingerich, PLS to the Board effective July 1, 2025. Matt was also elected by the Board to serve as Vice-Chair effective July 1, 2025. He takes over the position previously held by Brent Wright.

Matt is a licensed professional land surveyor in Nevada. His surveying career began with the Bureau of Land Management, and he later worked in the private sector. Matt spent over twenty-six years with NV Energy, where he ultimately led the Land Resources department. He has since transitioned to consulting to the utility industry. Throughout his career, he has been involved with a wide range of responsibilities in surveying and land rights related to the construction and operation of the expanding gas and electric utility infrastructure in Nevada. One of the larger projects he contributed to was the ON-Line 500 kilovolt transmission line connecting northern and southern Nevada.

Matt graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor of Arts in History and the Oregon Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Land Surveying. He has served as President of the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors, Chair of the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors, and Chair of the Bureau of Land Management Sierra Front-Northern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council. Matt and his wife Laura live in Sparks and have two sons, Chad and Troy.

Tom Matter
Public Board Member

Governor Lombardo reappointed Board member Tom Matter, Public Member to the Board effective July 1, 2025. Tom was initially appointed to the board by Governor Brian Sandoval April 18, 2018 to finish a partial term of a Board member that was unable to complete their three-year term.

Tom is currently a Sr. Project Manager for Mountain West Builders in Reno, NV where he manages client relations, budgeting, contracting, and construction. Prior to joining Mountain West, Tom worked in construction across a multitude of business sectors including multi-family, mixed-use, industrial, and residential construction.

Tom earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and his MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno. Since graduating with an engineering degree, he has over 10 years of experience in both construction and engineering design work.

Tom and his wife Kara have two children, Kolten and Reese. For fun, Tom enjoys skiing, golfing, and coaching his children’s various athletic teams. Tom is also an active board member for the University of Nevada Alumni Football Association.

Michael Kidd, PLS
Board Member

Governor Lombardo reappointed Board member Michael Kidd, PLS to the Board effective July 1, 2026. Michael was initially appointed to the Board by Governor Brian Sandoval November 1, 2014.

Michael was selected as Henderson City Surveyor in April 2009. As City Surveyor, Michael manages the city’s land surveying, right-of-way and property management functions.

Michael’s entry into the land surveying profession began with the US Air Force in 1985. His military land surveying career provided an opportunity to work on a variety of construction, mapping and boundary projects in Arizona, Nevada, Honduras and Panama.

Michael is currently a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors, and the California Land Surveyors Association. Michael served as the President of the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors (Southern Chapter) in 1999.

Michael is also a committee member for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), serving on the Professional Surveyor Exam Committee.

Michael and his wife Christine live in Las Vegas.

Legislative Update

The Board and staff have been working with the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors and surveyors throughout the state to update its statutes (Nevada Revised Statute Chapter 327) to align with the United States’ official geodetic datum change and explain why timely action is necessary for legal certainty, public safety, and infrastructure reliability.

The United States—the National Geodetic Survey to be more specific—is updating the official reference system (datum) used for surveying, mapping, GPS, and elevations nationwide.

This update is required because the Earth’s surface slowly moves due to tectonic motion, earthquakes, subsidence, and uplift, and because older datums were built on ground markers set decades ago that have since shifted or degraded. Modern satellite-based positioning is far more accurate and consistent, and the national datum is being updated to reflect today’s measurement capabilities and today’s ground reality.

Why Nevada Must Update Its Statutes

Our natural landscape is actively changing. Nevada lies in the Basin and Range region, where the Earth’s crust is stretching. Valleys subside, mountains shift, and faults move over time. In addition, areas such as Las Vegas Valley have experienced significant land subsidence from groundwater withdrawal. Statutes tied to outdated datums no longer reliably reflect physical reality.

Statutes define what is legally official. Nevada law establishes the authoritative reference for property boundaries, elevations used in floodplain mapping and drainage design, and survey records, which are relied upon in permitting and courts. If statutes reference obsolete datums, modern surveys may be technically correct but legally unclear.

Nevada depends on GPS-based positioning. Surveying, transportation, mining, utilities, energy, and land management throughout Nevada rely heavily on GPS, which is aligned with the new national datum. Without statutory alignment, GPS results and legal definitions can conflict, increasing cost, confusion, and risk.
Early alignment avoids fragmentation. Updating statutes now, ensures statewide consistency, allows clean transformation of historical data, and prevents a patchwork of incompatible coordinate systems.

What the Update Does and Does Not Do

Does

Align Nevada law with the national reference system
Improve accuracy and consistency
Reduce legal and technical risk\

Does Not

Move property lines
Change land ownership
Require resurveying of existing parcels

Bottom Line

The United States is changing the official measurement framework used nationwide. Nevada statutes must recognize this change so that legal definitions of location and elevation remain accurate, defensible, and consistent with modern technology. Updating Nevada law is a preventative alignment action, not a change to the ground itself.

Nevada State Business License Required

As we get closer to launching the new Firm Registration Platform, it’s a good time to remind you that a Nevada state business license is required before you can register your firm with the Board to offer engineering and/or land surveying services in Nevada.

And when you migrate an existing registration to the new platform, you will be required to provide a valid Nevada state business license number. If you have an existing registration, but do not have a Nevada state business license, you can save yourself a lot of hassle and get one now.

Does this apply to all firms, even sole proprietors?

Yes. Every business entity in the state of Nevada must obtain a Nevada State Business License. And those planning to offer engineering and/or land surveying services must register as a firm with the Board.

The only exception is a Natural Person (example: someone doing business as John Doe, PE), who is licensed by the Nevada Board, is not required to register as a firm with the Board before offering or providing services.

But all other companies, large and small, including Sole Proprietors (example: an individual doing business as John Doe Engineering Services), must register as a firm with the Board before offering or providing services.

If you have not yet obtained a Nevada State Business License, please go to Nevada’s Secretary of State business portal, Silverflume.

Visit our Firm Registration page for more information.

And watch for news and announcements about the new firm registration platform on our website, email, and social media channels.

Things to Consider When Hiring a Professional

Our compliance staff produced a short video with some helpful tips to make the public aware of the things to consider before hiring an engineer or land surveyor.

The video was prompted by an increase in complaints we received relating to fraudulent activity and unlicensed practice. The common theme in the complaints was “professionals” being hired sight-unseen off gig work platforms with issues not coming to light until the point of submittals for permitting. After investigating the complaints, it became apparent that “professionals” (who, in most cases, had been fully paid in advance) were impersonating Nevada licensees and fraudulently using their seals and signatures.

For the public, the video highlights the importance of performing due diligence by verifying who they are hiring before contracting with and sending initial payments to them.

https://nvbpels.org/public/important-considerations-when-hiring-a-professional/

What can Professionals do to protect themselves?

With an increasing number of these types of cases, we also want to encourage Nevada licensees to periodically do internet searches of their name and license number to make sure they are not impersonated online by bad actors as part of fraudulent activity. If a licensee discovers they are being impersonated, please contact the compliance staff – board@nvbpels.nv.gov – so we can take action.

Continuing Education Videos

The June 30 renewal deadline is fast approaching, and licensees will be required to report PDH (Professional Development Hours) activity on their renewal application. To that end, we produced a few short videos to help licensees better understand what continuing education is, what counts, and how to document and report your PDH activities.

Learn more about Nevada’s continuing education requirements here, https://nvbpels.org/continuing-education/ and watch the videos here, https://nvbpels.org/continuing-education/continuing-education-videos/

Nevada Board Compliance Actions

Andrew Hammond, PE 028002 (PLS Suspended)

Case Number: 20240003

Violation of NRS 625.410 (2), NAC 625.530 (1) and NAC 625.530 (5) – from previous Stipulated Agreements

STIPULATED AGREEMENT

On or about January 24, 2024, the State Board approved a Stipulated Agreement (“2024 Stipulated Agreement”) with Mr Hammond, of Element Engineering, to resolve a disciplinary action against Mr Hammond. Mr Hammond stipulated to certain facts as being truthful, as well as to certain disciplinary conditions.

The State Board is in receipt of information indicating that concerns have arisen resulting from the disciplinary conditions set forth in the 2024 Stipulated Agreement. To address those concerns, the State Board and Mr Hammond hereby enter into a Supplement to Stipulated Agreement, dated March 24, 2025.

Mr Hammond has complied with the terms of the 2024 Stipulated Agreement and Supplemental Stipulated Agreement. However, as a component of the Supplemental Stipulated Agreement, (Section 1 (c) of the conditions) Mr Hammond, on July 17, 2025, appeared “before the State Board for an oral interview to determine areas of competency within the discipline of professional land surveying, by which he will abide.” As a result of said oral interview, the State Board found various concerns with Mr Hammond’s Board competency in the discipline of professional land surveying.

To that end, pursuant to the State Board’s ongoing oversight pursuant to the 2024 Stipulated Agreement, and subsequent Supplement thereto, Mr Hammond and the State Board resolve to address the concerns of the State Board by stipulating to the following conditions.

Mr Hammond’s Nevada license to practice professional land surveying shall remain suspended following entry of this Agreement. Mr Hammond can be subject to additional discipline, upon notice and the opportunity to be heard, should Mr Hammond fail to abide by the terms hereof. The suspension of Mr Hammond’s professional land surveying license shall continue, and Mr Hammond will not be able to apply for renewal or reinstatement of said license after expiration, until Mr Hammond complies, to the satisfaction of the State Board, with the following terms:
1. Mr Hammond shall coordinate with State Board staff to engage a Nevada licensed Professional Land Surveyor that is approved by the State Board to provide land surveying mentorship (“PLS Mentor”). The PLS Mentor will be provided with a State Board-produced outline of areas for skill development. Mr Hammond shall be responsible for all costs relating to time and expense for the services of the PLS Mentor.
2. Mr Hammond shall research, prepare, and present a White Paper to the State Board that addresses and evidences an understanding of the following:
  1. Boundary retracement and boundary evidence evaluations.
  2. The importance of the monumentation on adjoining parcels in any mapping effort.
  3. The complexities related to mapping adjacent to highways, railroads, and riparian features.
3. Present a work plan outlining processes in performing mapping.
4. Present a quality control (“QC”) plan for his field measurement procedures.>/li>
Following completion and acceptance/approval by the State Board of all items in Section 1, the stay of suspension will be reinstated on Mr Hammond’s Nevada PLS license, and probation will be imposed with the following terms:
1. Bi-monthly probation reports to be submitted for any Nevada work, including copies of executed contracts and specific work plan for each project (see 1.(c) above)
2. Work product to be reviewed by the PLS Mentor prior to agency submittal or release to client.
3. Assessment by the PLS Mentor of Mr Hammond’s progress (skill development) to be included with each bi-monthly probation report.
4. Probation period of thirty-six (36) months, but can be revised based on progress or lack of progress as reported by the PLS Mentor.

Lazell Preator, former PE 014982

Case Numbers: 20250054

Violations: NRS 625.410(5), NRS 625.410(7), NRS 625.410(8), NRS 625.520(1)(a)(1), NRS 625.520(1)(c), and NRS 625.520(1)(e)

FORMAL HEARING

A hearing was held before the Nevada State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (“State Board”) on January 15, 2026, at the Las Vegas office of the State Board. LAZELL PREATOR, (“Mr Preator”) received proper notice of the time and place for this matter, yet failed to appear and was not represented by counsel. Witnesses having been sworn, testimony heard, and evidence having been introduced, the matter was submitted to the State Board for decision, and the State Board, after due consideration, did find and decide as follows:

Procedural History

Mr Preator is a formerly-licensed professional engineer in the State of Nevada having had license number 014982 in the discipline of civil engineering.
On or about November 8, 2018, based on a disciplinary complaint filed against Mr Preator, the State Board executed a Stipulated Agreement (“2018 Stipulated Agreement”) with terms offered by Executive Director of the State Board and accepted by Mr Preator.
Under the 2018 Stipulated Agreement, Mr Preator acknowledged that he violated various statutes and regulations under NRS chapter 625, and he and the State Board agreed that his professional engineering license, issued by the State Board, was to be suspended for twelve (12) months, but with the suspension stayed, and probation imposed for the remainder of that time, so long as Mr Preator complied with the terms of the 2018 Stipulated Agreement.
On or about January 14, 2021, based on two disciplinary complaints filed against Mr Preator, the State Board executed a Stipulated Agreement (“2021 Stipulated Agreement”) with terms offered by Executive Director of the State Board and accepted by Mr Preator.
Under the 2021 Stipulated Agreement, Mr Preator acknowledged that he violated various statutes and regulations under NRS chapter 625, and he and the State Board agreed that his professional engineering license, issued by the State Board, was to be suspended for thirty-six (36) months, but with the suspension stayed, and probation imposed for the remainder of that time, so long as Mr Preator complied with the terms of the 2021 Stipulated Agreement.
On January 31, 2023, after due notice and a hearing thereon, the Chair of the State Board executed a Decision and Order against Mr Preator finding that Mr Preator had violated the terms of the 2021 Stipulated Agreement and lifting the stay on the suspension of his license.
On January 1, 2024, Mr Preator allowed his already-suspended licensure with the State Board to lapse.
On November 12, 2024, based on another disciplinary complaint filed against Mr Preator, the State Board executed a third Stipulated Agreement (“2024 Stipulated Agreement”), which was accepted by Mr Preator, wherein Mr Preator acknowledged that he again violated various statutes and regulations under NRS Chapter 625. The State Board imposed conditions that Mr Preator would have to follow before applying for reinstatement of his lapsed license.
On October 30, 2025, the State Board received information that, despite having a lapsed license, Mr Preator was continuing to practice as a professional engineer in the State of Nevada and was now using the seal/stamp/digital signature of Rhonda Harrison-Cervantes, P.E. on projects submitted for Mr Preator, and his purported business, Preator Consulting, LLC, a revoked Nevada limited liability company.
On or about November 20, 2025, based on another disciplinary complaint filed against Mr Preator, the State Board sent a Cease-and-Desist Order, pursuant to NRS 625.520(2)(a), ordering Mr Preator to immediately stop representing Preator Consulting as being able to offer or provide professional engineering services in Nevada and providing notice to Mr Preator of the potential for a preliminary injunction.
On or about December 11, 2025, Complaint No. 20250054 was brought by the Executive Director of the State Board against Mr Preator. The complaint stemmed from allegations that Mr Preator was using the digital stamp and signature of another professional engineer without their consent and continuing to offer and provide professional engineering services with an expired license.
On or about January 14, 2026, the evening before the hearing, Mr Preator sent an email to Chris MacKenzie, Esq. (Board Counsel), acknowledging service and reading in whole as follows:

“Mr MacKenzie,

I am no longer living or working in Nevada. I did receive the packet a few weeks ago when I was there picking up the last of our belongings, and was intent on being there for the Board Meeting.

However, I have since started employment in South Carolina, and due to the newness of the employment, and the fact that I have no intention of returning to Nevada, it did not make sense for me to make the trip and risk losing this new job.

My work here is not engineering related. Due to my age and health, I am moving to a less stressful work. I will follow up with you concerning what happens at the Board Meeting. I will endeavor to more routinely look at this email.”

Findings of Fact

Mr Preator’s professional engineering license lapsed on January 1, 2024.
Mr Preator failed to timely abide by the terms and conditions set forth in the 2021 Stipulated Agreement resulting in the 2023 Decision and Order suspending his license until it lapsed.
Mr Preator failed to abide by any of terms and conditions set forth in the 2024 Stipulated Agreement, and therefore he is still ineligible to apply for reinstatement or re-licensure.
Mr Preator was still offering and providing professional engineering services as recently as October 2025, despite having an expired license.
Mr Preator used the digital stamp and signature of Rhonda Harrison-Cervantes, P.E., without her consent or knowledge, on at least two (2) projects submitted for Mr Preator’s company, Preator Consulting, LLC, with an additional nineteen (19) projects still being investigated by the State Board.
The State Board’s previous disciplinary agreements with Mr Preator and his repeated failure to comply with the stipulations contained therein are aggravating factors in the State Board’s imposition of discipline in this matter.

Conclusions of Law

Mr Preator was given due notice of the time and place for hearing this matter.
Mr Preator’s failure to abide by the terms of the 2024 Stipulated Agreement constitutes a failure to comply with an order issued by the State Board, a violation of NRS 625.410(8).
Mr Preator’s practice of offering and providing professional engineering services without a valid and current license is a violation of NRS 625.410(7) and NRS 625.520(1)(a)(1).
Mr Preator’s use of the digital stamp and signature of another professional engineer without consent and the submission of projects with the fraudulent stamp and signature on two confirmed occasions is a violation of NRS 625.520(1)(c) and NRS 625.520(1)(e) for each submission.
NRS 625.410(5) creates a basis for discipline to be administered by the State Board against Mr Preator.

Decision and Order of the State Board

The professional engineering license of LAZELL PREATOR, No. 014982, is hereby revoked for a period of ten (10) years in accordance with NRS 622A.410(1), effective January 15, 2026. Mr Preator will not be eligible to apply for reinstatement until January 15, 2036.
Pursuant to NRS 625.590, Mr Preator shall pay a fine in the amount of Fifteen Thousand and 0/100 Dollars ($15,000.00) for each of the two claims contained in Complaint No. 20250054, totaling Thirty Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($30,000.00). Mr Preator shall pay the fine to the State Board within sixty (60) days.
Mr Preator shall reimburse the State Board for investigative costs incurred in this matter in the amount of Nine Thousand One Hundred Seventeen and 50/100 Dollars ($9,117.50).
Mr Preator shall pay this reimbursement to the State Board within sixty (60) days.
Mr Preator shall satisfy all outstanding obligations contained in his previous Stipulated Agreements with the State Board.
Mr Preator shall pay all fines and reimbursements prior to applying for reinstatement of his license.
The imposition of this Decision and Order does not limit the powers of the State Board from imposing discipline upon Mr Preator on matters independent of this action and/or not yet presented to the State Board.

James Darrough, PLS 021257

Case Number: 20250036

Violation of NAC 625.530 (1) and (8)

In or around February 2023, Mr Darrough was contacted by a client, who was seeking a survey of her property (“Property”) in Virginia City. The client and Mr Darrough entered into a contract for surveying work on February 21, 2023. The work was to take approximately sixty (60) days once it began, at a cost of $2,000.00. The completed survey was to be recorded in Storey County. The client made a down payment of $1,000.00 at the time of signing. The work started on April 20, 2023, and on May 18, 2023, Mr Darrough told the client that the work was being finalized.

On October 31, 2023, Mr Darrough informed the client that the Property corners had been set. On November 2, 2023, Mr Darrough informed the client that he was finishing the final map and it would be ready on November 3, 2023. On January 22, 2024, the client sent a partial payment of $500.00 with the final payment of $500.00 being sent on February 8, 2024, of which Mr Darrough acknowledged receipt.

On March 4, 2024, the client sent a text message to Mr Darrough stating that she had not received anything concerning the recording of the final survey. Mr Darrough responded that the survey was not recorded due to his oversight, and he would get it recorded as soon as possible.

On July 7, 2025, the client received and offer for the Property that included a condition of the sale that a recorded survey be provided. On July 25, 2025, the client learned that the survey still had not been recorded. She informed Mr Darrough of this. Mr Darrough responded on the same day that the map was not recorded, but he would get it submitted as soon as possible. No reason was given for why it was never submitted. The survey map was finally recorded on August 5, 2025.

In Mr Darrough’s response to the complaint he stated that failure to record the survey was due to a heavy workload. He stated that he never intended for the project to be delayed this long, but it kept getting placed at the end of his priority list.

Violations and Potential Disciplinary Actions

Pursuant to NRS 625.3401, after making a survey in conformity with the practice of land surveying, a professional land surveyor shall, within 90 days after the establishment of points or lines, file with the county recorder, in the county in which the survey was made, a record of survey relating to land boundaries and property lines.

Here, Mr Darrough entered into a contract for surveying work wherein the work was to take approximately sixty (60) days once it began. The work started on April 20, 2023, and on May 18, 2023, Mr Darrough told the client that the work was being finalized. Despite this and other assurances that he would record the survey as soon as possible, Mr Darrough did not record the survey map until August 5, 2025, more than 2 years after his survey work was supposed to be completed, and well past the 90-day deadline established by NRS 625.340.

Pursuant to NAC 625.530(1)2, a professional engineer or land surveyor shall “[a]ct in professional matters as a faithful agent or trustee for each employer or client.”

Here, Mr Darrough failed to act as a faithful agent. It took over two years for Mr Darrough to record a survey map that was supposed to be finished and recorded in 60 days. Further, Mr Darrough failed to communicate with the client or provide her with any reason for his delay. Instead, Mr Darrough repeatedly assured the client that her survey map was almost done and would be recorded, but failed to do so in a timely manner.

Based on the foregoing, Mr Darrough stipulates that he violated NRS 625.340 and NAC 625.530 by failing to meet the deadlines he promised the client, failing to record the survey map within 90 days of setting the corners, and failing to maintain better communication with the client; thus, prohibiting her from selling the property in July of 2025.

Pursuant to NAC 625.640 (3)(b)(2) a disciplinary matter may be resolved by Stipulated Agreement without conducting a formal hearing. To that end, to resolve Complaint Number 20250036 now pending, Mr Darrough and the State Board resolve this matter on the following basis:

Mr Darrough shall, within ninety (90) days of acceptance and execution of this Agreement by the State Board, pay an administrative fine to the State Board in the amount of Five Hundred and No/100 Dollars ($500.00).
Mr Darrough shall, within ninety (90) days of acceptance and execution of this Agreement by the State Board, pay legal and investigative costs to the State Board a total of One Thousand Seven Hundred and No/100 Dollars ($1,700.00).