Andrew Lonnie Sikes, PE, RPLS began his engineering and surveying career upon completing graduate school at Texas A&M University. Upon graduation he joined the US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1969. Mr. Sikes rose to the rank of Lieutenant (03) in the Officer Corps of NOAA during his four year term.
Mr. Sikes recognized an opportunity to start his own business shortly after earning his professional engineering registration. In 1977, Mr. Sikes started Andrew Lonnie Sikes, Inc. (ALS, Inc.) offering a broad range of surveying and engineering services including geographic information systems (GIS) projects and hydrographic, global positioning systems (GPS) and aerial surveys.
From the start, ALS, Inc. has always been known for embracing new technologies. The first time Mr. Sikes gained professional experience with aerial mapping in 1971, he recognized a versatile technology that could deliver efficient survey options. In 1992, ALS, Inc. began offering aerial mapping, a division run by Benoit Blouin, RPLS. Today, ALS, Inc. is a well known provider of aerial mapping technology and has completed:
- Over 8,000 square miles of color orthometrically corrected aerial photography
- Numerous Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) aerial mapping projects
- More than 100 miles of one foot contours along Harris County bayous
- 1000’s of acres of aerial topography to tolerances as close as 6” contouring
Mr. Sikes has always maintained a broad range of services at ALS, Inc. and in 2002 the decision was made to expand the engineering division. Naturally the management of this division was offered to A. Lonnie Sikes II, PE. Mr. Sikes II has nearly two decades of experience in design and construction of civil engineering projects for municipal, governmental, and private clients.
Today, father and son work closely together to form the management team of ALS, Inc. The technical competence and qualifications of this management team are demonstrated through an average of 28 years of experience with each holding a college degree and related registrations in surveying and engineering. In addition, each has in-depth experience with government institutions and an intimate understanding of the responsibilities to the general public that a government or institutional employee assumes for each project.
Understanding responsibilities, a strong curiosity for technology and a love of education has lead Mr. Sikes and many of his employees to serve the community through engineering and surveying societies. Mr. Sikes has a commitment to surveying excellence which is highlighted in his service to three Texas Governors on the Texas Board of Professional Surveyors from 1987 thru 1999. He was also elected to the Board of Directors of the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) where he served two years as Vice President, Southern Zone. Currently, Mr. Sikes serves the University of Houston as an adjunct professor of survey.
The quality of ALS, Inc., its employees and the services they provide is what keeps clients like Houston Baptist University (HBU), Memorial Hermann Healthcare Systems (MHHS), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT and the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), numerous industrial client, and developers coming back to ALS, Inc. for over 30 years. Our experience is as solid as our commitment to serving the needs of our clients.
Engineering and surveying excellence runs in the family. The picture to the left is five generations of Sikes engineers — almost. The two elders in this 1997 photo are no longer involved in engineering and the youngest does not hold a PE license yet. ALS, Inc. started as a family run business and continues the tradition today.