atlas surveying logo atlas surveying logo

20041 Truck
2 Employees

In 2004, Billy Gray had fallen in love with land surveying and had dreams of starting his own company. With a prospective client showing interest and one orange truck, Billy Gray and Keith Burns formed Atlas Surveying, Inc.’s first survey crew. The two frequently heard the phrase “you two are out of our minds”. They didn’t listen to the naysayers and the outside noise. Billy and Keith persevered and believed in each other and their mutual vision. The duo worked long hours, picked up every project that came their way and were passionate about what they were doing. Little did they know what dividends their hard work would yield.

In 4 years Atlas Surveying, Inc. tripled in size and was taking on projects all throughout the Hilton Head / Savannah area. We still believed in what we were creating and worked hard to grow the company and teach people about the surveying industry. Then came the recession of 2008. Big construction projects came to a halt. The lack of work led to the lack of job opportunities. We had to make some tremendously tough decisions. The staff was cut down to four employees and it was time to regroup. We took on smaller projects that bigger companies passed on. With only four on staff, we went back down to one field crew.

20083 trucks,
12 Employees

20103 trucks,
6 Employees

We put in the work to rebuild and add another crew, but knew some things needed to change in the business plan. The odds seemed stacked against us, but we weren’t going to give up easily. In 2010, our vision changed for the better. We emphasized professionalism in the way that we presented ourselves and in every interaction with our clients. Our goal was to distinguish ourselves in the surveying world and hold all of Atlas Surveying, Inc. to a higher standard.

Atlas Surveying, Inc. became a credible name in the Beaufort/Bluffton/Hilton Head markets. We worked with top of the line companies, schools and contractors and were able to train up five remarkable crew chiefs. These guys were the heart of the company and we knew we would lose them to a bigger company when the time came. Our humble beginnings also created a brotherhood. With the possibility of losing this brotherhood, we shifted gears once again. We knew we needed to create more career opportunities to grow and develop them into leaders within the organization or risk losing them. At the end of 2014, Atlas was hired by business developer and engineer Tim Golde to conduct a drainage study. When Tim learned about our idea to grow Atlas Surveying, Inc. to create more opportunities for our team, he quit his job at a reputable engineering firm and jumped on board to help us make the dream a reality. That’s where the growth really started to explode.

20147 trucks
16 Staff

Now58 trucks
130 employees
4 locations

Looking back over the years, the one thing that comes to mind is how humbled we are. We could not be prouder of how our own team has taken on responsibility and in turn has made this company what it is today. When people think of Atlas Surveying, Inc., they may think of our bright orange trucks or Billy, Keith, or Tim. But Atlas Surveying, Inc. is each and every one of our staff and team members. They are the ones that make up Atlas Surveying, Inc. and drive this whole operation. We are a family, and we are in this together.

Building Communities
Building Careers
Building Character

Contact Us View Career Opportunities
© Atlas Surveying, Inc./Website by Hazel Digital Media
Back to Top