Surveyor of the Year 2013

The South Carolina Society of Professional Land Surveyors honored Frances M. A. (Frankie) Manhardt of Eutawville, SC, by selecting her South Carolina “Surveyor of the Year” for 2013. This honor was presented at the SCSPLS & SAMSOG Joint Surveyors’ Convention on July 20th, 2013 at the Charleston Marriott in Charleston, SC. Accepting the award on her behalf were her husband and daughter, Michael and Amelia Manhardt. The Surveyor of the Year Award is presented annually by the Society to a surveyor who has made outstanding contributions to the profession of land surveying in the State of South Carolina.

Frankie was born in Australia, and kept her trademark accent through her years. In 1994 she received an Associate’s Degree in Cartography while living in Darwin, and working on a massive three year project for the Australian government. She was responsible for converting the original English standard measurements to the metric system. That same year, she met her future husband, Michael, and was married 10 days later. After traveling to the United States, they were stationed in Beaufort where Frankie went to work surveying in 1998. In 1999, the family relocated to Eutawville, and Frankie went to work at Davis & Floyd. She became registered in 2004, and by 2008, she was running the Charleston Office of CHE Surveying. She became active in the Coastal Chapter of SCSPLS, as well as the State Society, serving on the Boards of both and becoming the first woman President of either group. She once said, “I don’t want to be known as a woman surveyor; I want to be known as a surveyor who happens to be a woman.” Frankie served with distinction as the first female President of her local Coastal Chapter and as the first female President of SCSPLS. She exuded excitement, joy, kindness and great determination in everything she did. She touched the lives of everyone she came in contact with. Frankie represented SCSPLS and the surveying profession well in her travels as President and unselfishly gave up her time to help promote the surveying profession whenever an opportunity arose.

Frankie Manhardt died May 29th, 2013, after a heroic battle against cancer. SCSPLS lost a leader and true pioneer in the surveying profession. Her love for her family, friends, and coworkers was limitless and unconditional. Rescuing animals was one of the great windows into her heart and soul. It reflected her love and compassion for the less fortunate. Everyone who knew her knew for what she stood.