Spotlight on Rory Brown
In the November edition of The CALEP Negotiator, Rory Brown is highlighted in the Spotlight Series, recounting his professional evolution from land agent to business development at Caltech.
Tell us about yourself, and what got you into Land and Survey?
This is actually one of my favorite questions to ask other land professionals. I find that people often have unique and unexpected paths into the industry—it’s not typically a career you hear about unless you have some kind of personal connection to it. For me, that connection was my dad, who ultimately encouraged me to pursue my land agent’s license.
I grew up on a farm near Vauxhall in southern Alberta, and during the 1990s, we saw a steady stream of land agents visiting our property due to increased oil and gas activity in the area. A few of those agents suggested to my dad that land work was a great way to stay connected to the farming lifestyle while earning a good living. That idea stuck with him—and eventually, with me.
After high school, I spent a few years, let’s say, “finding my way.” I took Power Engineering courses, lived in Manning, AB, while playing senior hockey and working in the patch, and later returned to postsecondary with the intention of becoming a teacher (imagine that!) I also worked as a wireline operator, bartender, heavy equipment operator, and farmhand. I mention all of these roles because each one helped shape me into what I consider a well-rounded land agent and survey business development professional. I still draw on many of those experiences even today. Dad went ahead and got his land agent license and was thriving in the role. One day, he said to me, “If you can’t figure out what to do with your life, you might as well get your interim land agent’s license.” That discussion with my dad was the turning point. I obtained my interim license in 2006 through Atlas Land and was supported with field files periodically. It took some time, but in 2008, I finally secured full-time land agent work with Edwards Land, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Rory at the 2025 CALEP Conference.
Could you walk us through your professional journey and what led you to your current role as Vice President, Business Development at Caltech Surveys? What inspired you to transition from a hands-on role in Land into a marketing position at Caltech?
After spending nearly three formative years with Edwards Land, I transitioned into the world of telecom acquisition with a company called Insite Solutions. It was a steep learning curve—coming from an environment where land administrators had supported me through nearly every step of the acquisition process (shoutout to the admin team at Edwards!). That experience gave me a deep appreciation for the critical role land administrators play. At Insite, I had to learn to do it all myself: pulling titles, drafting agreements, completing field sketches, translating that information into GIS/Google Earth, negotiating leases, applying for third-party agreements, and navigating development permit requirements. It was a crash course in the full land acquisition process, and it made me a much more capable and independent land professional.
As telecom work began to slow, I kept busy by contracting with a few different land brokerages before ultimately landing at Synergy Land. I spent eight great years there, primarily focused on land acquisition and project management for large linear projects—including major power transmission and pipeline developments. It was also where I stepped into my first leadership role, eventually becoming Director, overseeing our western region offices. That experience sparked a passion for the business side of operations and gave me a taste of what it meant to help shape and grow a company.
In early 2019, I had a conversation with Jade McLeod from Caltech about the ambitious plans he had for the company. Leaving Synergy—a place where I felt I had built a team and truly contributed to its growth —was a tough decision. But those conversations with Jade always left me energized and aligned with the kind of challenge I was looking for.
It was never my intention to leave land, but the opportunity to stretch myself and build a new skillset at Caltech was too compelling to pass up. While land and survey seem closely related on the surface, I quickly discovered there was an entire world within survey that I hadn’t been exposed to. The sales side of the role came naturally—there’s not much difference between working a survey consent line list and a prospective customer list. Both require strong relationship-building, quick rapport, adaptability, and ultimately working toward a mutually beneficial agreement—whether that’s an MSA, PO, or surface lease.
The real challenge transitioning from land to survey was learning to communicate the value of geomatics solutions. Someone once told me, “A surveyor can offer a million different solutions, but they won’t know what it is until they understand the problem.” That stuck with me. Surveyors and geomatics professionals are incredibly skilled and intelligent, but distilling what they do into a quick coffee meeting is no small feat. Their work goes far beyond defining property boundaries—they’re problem solvers who need to be well-versed in regulatory frameworks, data collection and processing, construction, enironmental considerations, engineering workflows, and more.
Translating all of that into a conversation with a client —who may not fully understand what a surveyor can offer—has been a learning curve for me, especially since I’m still growing my own technical understanding. I definitely feel most comfortable discussing surveys with fellow land professionals, which is where much of my original network lies. But I’m proud of how much that network has expanded since stepping into the world of survey, and I’m excited about continuing to bridge the gap between and geomatics.
Looking back, have there been any mentors or role models throughout your career that you’d like to recognize and why?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate throughout my career to have had some amazing mentors and influences— too many to name, but I’ll highlight a few who’ve had a lasting impact.
At the very beginning, it was my dad who helped me understand the fundamentals of surface land. His perspective, shaped by both farming and working on the operator side, gave me a well-rounded foundation. My first coordinator, Jerad Bonnetti at Edwards Land, was one of the most influential people early in my career. He took in a hillbilly farm kid and brought me under his wing. I know I was a bit of a project—having never typed a professional email in my life—but Jerad was patient and committed to helping me grow.
Several of my co-workers at Edwards also left a lasting impression. Mike Tidmarsh, who started around the same time I did, always had a big brother vibe—supportive, honest, and sometimes gruffly putting me in my place. Jennie Savage taught me the importance of attention to detail, and Ryan Cavers has always been a go-to for landman advice (despite using his influence for some questionable fantasy football trades).
After Edwards, the leadership team at Synergy Land played a huge role in my development. Bill Giese emphasized the importance of industry engagement and business development. Keith Turner brought a calm, steady approach to everything, while Jennifer Potter—whose personality was almost the complete opposite of Keith’s — challenged and supported me in countless ways. Their combined leadership styles helped shape my own approach to management. I also want to give a shoutout to Mike Bailey from Aim Land. He’s been like another older (really, really older) brother to me. Though we never worked together directly, Mike has always had my best interests at heart. He’s a great example of how being honest, hardworking, and committed to doing the right thing pays off in the long run.
And of course, I’d be remiss not to mention my Caltech crew. As much as it pains me to say this, Ben Hebert has been a huge influence. His laser focus on winning and his approach to sales—treating it with the same intensity as sports—has always stuck with me.
Finally, one of the most important mentors in my current role is Jade McLeod. His unwavering leadership and deep engagement in Caltech are unmatched in my view. Jade is a truly unique individual and has so many great qualities.
There are so many more I could name—honestly, as I write this, more names keep coming to mind. I’m grateful to have crossed paths with so many incredible people who’ve helped shape my journey.
What are some of the key challenges you faced during your career, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced throughout my career has been adapting to change. The energy sector is constantly evolving, and to survive its highs and lows, you have to be flexible and willing to pivot. Having spent most of my career on the service side, change has been a constant companion.
When I first started, coal-bed methane wells were being acquired in droves—it was as simple as grabbing a stack of files and heading out to the field. But when the 2008/2009 downturn hit, I saw an opportunity in telecom acquisition and was able to stay busy in that space for a while. Later, I shifted into linear projects, working on both power transmission and major pipelines. Each sector came with its own regulatory framework and unique landowner challenges, and I had to learn to navigate those differences quickly to keep food on the table.
The leap into sales and corporate leadership was another major shift, and it added a whole new set of tools to my belt. Interestingly, the skills I developed early on—communicating with landowners, building trust, and managing relationships—translated directly into sales. Since stepping into a business development leadership role, it’s been another rollercoaster of change. We’ve had to adapt to a post-COVID world, and now we’re facing the rise of AI, which is beginning to enhance—or in some cases, replace—certain aspects of our work. And of course, there’s the everpresent boom/bust cycle in the energy industry.
After experiencing a couple of downturns, I realized something important: you rarely recognize a boom while you’re in one, and it only becomes clear once you’re back in a recession. One of my favorite stories that still gets brought up today involves a piece of advice I gave to Jared EnsRempel. He was constantly worried about running out of work. We joked that if the entire energy industry went obsolete, we’d become sandwich artists at Subway. After (hopefully) working our way into management there, maybe a real estate opportunity would pop up, and perhaps we’d be able to apply our land skills once again. The moral of the story is simple: you have to adapt to your surroundings and make the most of the tools in your belt. The skills you develop are always transferable—you just need to be willing to evolve with the industry.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into Land or Survey?
Rory, Jenna, Ben and Luke.
For anyone interested in getting into land, my biggest piece of advice is: engage yourself. This career isn’t for the faint of heart—it takes time to establish yourself, and just when you feel like you’ve found your footing, a downturn can hit and knock you back. But by staying engaged in the industry, you can help level out those lows and build resilience.
There are many ways to get involved, but growing your network is probably the most important. Join associations like CALEP, attend educational seminars and networking events, volunteer for organizing committees, or simply put yourself out there. We’re fortunate to work in a social profession where people genuinely care about one another and are usually willing to help.
So jump in with both feet. Get involved, stay current, and build relationships—it will absolutely pay off in the long run. I was playing hockey with you the other day, and it really struck me—you might be the epitome of what it means to be Canadian: resilient, tough, and community-minded. Just a few months after overcoming cancer, you were already back on the ice, playing Hockey with your buddies, doing what you love.
I believe my story—my diagnosis and journey—is important, and I welcome anyone who wants to reach out and talk about it. I’m an open book, and if sharing my experience can help even one person, I’m more than willing. Many people did the same for me, and I’m committed to paying it forward. That said, to avoid making this the longest spotlight in CALEP history, I won’t go into all the details. Instead, I want to share a bit about the mindset I adopted and the importance of focusing on a positive outcome.
When you’re faced with something life-threatening, your initial reaction is often fear and negativity. You run through worst-case scenarios and ask, “Why me?” But you quickly realize that some things are out of your control, and there’s no time to dwell— you have to focus on how you’re going to face it. For me, that meant putting all my energy into getting healthy for my family. I wanted to show my two young boys, Ben and Luke, and my wife Jenna, what resilience looks like. I wanted them to see that even when life throws something completely unexpected at you, you can face it with strength and a positive mindset.
I was incredibly fortunate to have an amazing network of support. I felt a responsibility to face this challenge in a way that might inspire others. Humor became one of my tools—I used it to shed light on situations that might otherwise make people uncomfortable. It was my way of sharing what I was going through without making others uneasy, and hopefully helping others feel less alone in their own challenges.
I recently completed my yearly review, and one of the metrics we use at Caltech is examples of how we live and breathe our core values. It struck me how much those values extend beyond business into real life. First and foremost: Play to Win. I could not—and would not—lose to cancer. I probably pushed myself too hard at times because I didn’t want the illness to control my life, even though there were moments when it absolutely did. I’m incredibly grateful to Caltech for allowing me to continue working through treatment, even on days when I was in the hospital, sick in bed, or unable to perform at my usual level. My job gave me purpose and a much-needed outlet.
Another Core Value is Do the Right Thing. It was important to me to be a good example—not just for my family, but for my peers in the industry. I felt so many people were in my corner, rooting for me, and my way of saying thank you was to face this challenge head-on and do it in a way that people could be proud of. If I inspired even one person to approach their own challenges with a more positive outlook, then I consider that a win.
And finally, Stronger Together. I felt so much love and support from my personal and professional networks. There were days when I’d check my phone and be brought to tears by the messages I received. You don’t always realize how many people care about you until you’re in a moment of struggle. While it’s one of Caltech’s Core Values, I believe it also perfectly represents our land profession. Even though we may be competitors or work in different areas—mineral, surface, agents, analysts—we rally around each other. I’ve seen it happen before, and this time, it was for me. It meant the world, and it’s apparent that we as a group are truly stronger together.
As for playing hockey, one of my favorite moments in this journey was stepping back onto the ice in April at the CALEP/IRWA Hockey Tournament. I’ve helped organize this event since 2011 and have built many great connections through it. In 2024, I couldn’t participate—I had just spent the week in the hospital after being diagnosed. It was very difficult for me not to be on the ice and even harder to share the reasons with some of my close connections why I wasn’t able to play. Fast forward to April 2025—just two months after major surgery and nearly a year of chemo and radiation—I was back on the ice, ostomy attached, skating with my peers. It was incredibly uplifting. I even tucked a few nice goals, which I proudly bragged about to my kids and wife. In my head, I was Mario Lemieux coming back from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma… though really, the only thing Mario and I had in common was the illness!
When I first told people that I was playing, there were a few people worried about me stepping on the ice so soon after surgery. Our past CALEP President, Janice Redmond, was probably the most concerned (next to my wife), but our current CALEP President, Sandra Dixon, took the opposite approach. During the tournament, she reminded everyone how much time I had spent away from the things I love, and how important this moment of liberation was for me. So, a huge thank you to Sandra, but also to Janice, for looking for me – each in different ways! I’ve since returned to playing noon-hour hockey in the Conoco league this fall, and it’s so nice to have a sense of normalcy back in my life.
I’m proud to say my treatments and surgeries have been successful so far. I’m currently cancer-free and in the observation phase. I can’t begin to express how much it meant to have so many people in the land industry reach out, visit, support, and hold me in their thoughts. It meant the world to know how many people care. I don’t know how I’ll ever fully pay it forward, but I promise to try—because your support was everything. Thank you, thank you, thank you—again and again. You’re all a huge reason why I’m healthy today.