Based in Jacksonville and Gainesville, FL, the DeGrove Surveyor Team offers exceptional quality and expertise for all survey and mapping projects  throughout the Southeastern U.S

With two Florida offices in Jacksonville and Gainesville, the team at Degrove Surveyors brings experience, expertise, and professionalism to every project. Our team is led by two licensed professional surveyors and mappers. Possessing nearly 70 years of combined experience, these licensed professionals offer a diverse level of expertise that is rarely found in a single firm, additionally we have two NSPS/THSOA Certified Hydrographers.  Each project is managed under the responsible charge of one of these licensed professionals, who ensure that the project receives the professional oversight, organization, quality control, and quality assurance necessary for project success. 

These professionals are assisted by a highly skilled technical staff.  The team includes Geomatics-degreed S.I.T. Survey Technicians who are working towards licensure and contribute to project success both in the office and in the field.  Degrove has also built a team of experienced field crews that exemplify the highest level of professionalism in the industry. Many of our field crew workers have attended specialty training seminars in topics such as RTK GPS, subsurface utility location, proper field procedures, hydrographic surveying, and safety/first aid.   Whatever your project needs, our team has the diverse experience and expertise to ensure the success of your project.

Degrove President Ray Niles (Email: niles@degrove.com) is a hands-on leader who understands that clarity and accuracy are critical to his client’s success. He recognizes long-term relationships requires sound technical skills, and a sincere dedication to exceptional communication and customer service.

Since taking over Degrove Surveyors in 1986, Ray’s leadership, expertise, and commitment have made Degrove a leader in the surveying and mapping profession.  A 30-year experienced surveyor, Ray is also one of only 136 ACSM-THSOA Certified Hydrographers nationwide, which signifies an elevated level of specialized expertise in hydrographic surveying. He has directed survey activities for the FEMA, Flood Hazard Studies throughout the Southeastern U.S. and worked extensively with a variety of federal, state, and local agencies, including the:

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • Florida Department of Transportation
  • City of Jacksonville
  • City of Palm Coast, St. Johns County
  • Jacksonville Electric Authority

Ray earned his Bachelor of Land Surveying degree from the University of Florida, in Gainesville, Florida. He is a Fellow and Life Member of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society (FSMS).  He is also an FSMS past president, recipient of the prestigious H.O. Peters Surveyor of the Year award, and past president of the Florida Crown Chapter of FSMS.

He currently serves as:

  • FSMS liaison, Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers
  • Member, University of Florida Geomatics Advisory Committee
  • Member, Hydrographic Society of America
  • Member National Society of Professional Surveyors
  • Member, Northeast Florida Builders Association  

Ray enjoys boating, sport fishing, water skiing, kayaking, and attending Gator football games.

Ray is licensed to practice surveying and mapping in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Degrove Project Manager Brenda Catone (Email: catone@degrove.com) brings with her a wealth of knowledge coupled with outstanding customer service and management skills. A stickler for detail, Brenda specializes in working with private developers of large residential and industrial subdivisions and large sports and entertainment venues.

Since launching her career in 1979 as an engineering assistant with the U.S. Air Force, Brenda has served as a survey technician and project manager in all aspects of the business, including boundary, topographic, tree and wetland surveys, platting and condominium documents, and control surveys and right-of-way maps for improvements, street closures, and the preparation of metes and bounds legal descriptions.

Her project management resume includes numerous city, state and federal agencies, utilities and municipalities, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Department of Transportation, Cities of Jacksonville and Palm Coast, St. Johns County, and the Jacksonville Electric Authority.

Brenda earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville, Florida.

Brenda is licensed and certified to practice surveying and mapping in the state of Florida.

Degrove Project Manager Matt Niles (Email: mniles@degrove.com) specializes in hydrographic surveys and has served as project manager on a wide variety of projects including boundary, topographic, and utility location surveys.

Matt began his career working offshore, – in the oil and gas industry, – as a survey technician and party chief. He gained a wide variety of knowledge working on projects that included deep water asset positioning and tracking, dimensional control, single beam sonar, side scan sonar, multi-beam sonar, sub-bottom profile, and magnetometer surveys. Matt has performed hydrographic surveys on all 3 coasts of the United States, as well as in Alaska, Mexico, Africa, and South America. 

Matt earned a BS in Geomatics from The University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) and holds a MS in Hydrographic Science from The University of Southern Mississippi, Stennis Space Center.

Matt holds a FIG/IHO Category A Hydrographer Certificate and is a ACSM-THSOA Certified Hydrographer, which signifies an elevated level of specialized expertise in hydrographic surveying.

Matt is licensed and certified to practice surveying and mapping in the state of Florida.