Roland “Rick” Dreist’s love of the surveying profession and working with the public led to a dramatic transformation of the Surveyor’s Office over the past 9 years. Gone are outdated organizational resources and the weeks of waiting for a simple plat request. Now they are completed in a matter of days. The office now reflects Dreist himself: friendly, informed, cooperative and always helpful.

Upon beginning his tenure as the D.C. Surveyor in 1998, Dreist found himself surrounded by decades-old technology—antiquated reference card catalogs and log books used to track orders in the public area, and pencil and ink tools used by staff members to draft plats. Customers would wait weeks to receive a building plat needed to obtain a permit and months for subdivision plats used to subdivide land in the District. “Customers weren’t happy about the turn-around time and not shy about letting me know.” Dreist knew that for the Surveyor’s Office to truly serve the public, it had to update to modern, computerized, searchable databases and AutoCAD drawing and computing software.

The D.C. Surveyor’s Office houses some of the most remarkable historical
documents in the nation—irreplaceable vellum, onion skin and linen papers recording the changes and development of the District since its earliest beginning—including The King Plats, which first recorded the width of the District’s streets at the request of President George Washington.

Dreist successfully initiated and implemented an innovative idea that would bring about a systemic change: scanning the office’s more than half million records into a publicly searchable computer database. “When I first arrived, I realized if something were to happen to the office—like fire or water damage—losing the records could slow economic development in D.C. to a halt, let alone the records’ legal and historical significance,” said Dreist. However, his vision would require significant funding.

“Through Mr. Dreist’s perseverance and professional oversight, he initiated and launched an unprecedented $1.7 million comprehensive scanning project,” said Linda K. Argo, director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

Early on, Dreist realized that for his vision to be truly successful, he had to have a well rounded, supportive and experienced staff. He spent time in each section talking with employees, noting their functions and laying out a plan of changes. Vacancies allowed him to bring in new staff familiar with some of the updated technologies available and assist in developing standards that had been previously lacking in some areas.

“Rick has demonstrated outstanding and inspirational leadership in his office and has improved employee morale tremendously,” remarked one of Dreist’s professional associates.

Office colleagues depict him as “a people person” and someone who is “always available.” He is a self-described “working manager” with a “no appointment
necessary” policy for himself and his staff. “If you want to see me, come on in,” Dreist said. “I’m direct, and I’ll give you an answer, usually before you leave. I may not always agree, but I will always listen.”

On being named a Cafritz Award winner, Dreist humbly remarked, “We will try to live up to the standards that this award carries with it. I say ‘we’ because of the very talented staff in the Surveyors Office, who—with over 140 combined years of institutional knowledge and experience—have proved invaluable in making changes in a positive direction.

“I came to the District because I felt that I had something to offer in improving the office. I hope that the citizens and businesses of the District will continue to find their dealings with my office a positive experience.”

Dreist has always enjoyed the outdoors. His 10 years as a park ranger in Portsmouth, VA, led to a 12 year tenure surveying for a firm in Alexandria, VA, and eventually an interview with the District government for the position he now holds. He holds a professional surveying license in both Virginia and the District. He has been married for 33 years and has two daughters. He enjoys fishing, playing guitar, tinkering with classic cars, and going to flea markets with his wife in search of antique survey instruments. When on vacation in other States, “I still find myself glancing around for survey markers in curbs and sidewalks. My wife teasingly reminds me, ‘We’re on vacation.’”