“It’s incredibly valuable to have a strong network of people within the Gwinnett Chamber,” says Alex Carey, co-owner at Keystone Land Surveying, a growing company based in historic downtown Lawrenceville. Company founder Chacko Thomas, CEO Patrick Carey and Alex Carey opened the doors of Keystone in 2019 and have achieved significant growth. The team credits the Chairman’s Club for playing a pivotal role in that growth.
Keystone Land Surveying is a full-service land survey company that works with commercial and residential customers as well as builders, title companies, law firms and lenders. They specialize in determining property boundaries, ensuring zoning compliance, evaluating field conditions, creating lot plans, meeting transactional requirements and much more. From their home base in Gwinnett, they serve the greater Atlanta area, strategically positioned amidst the region’s rapid growth.
It’s an exciting time in their industry as technological advancements are being infused. They leverage the latest technologies to automate key processes, accelerate the speed at which they can complete projects and ensure technical accuracy more efficiently. For example, they leverage robots and GPS base stations to gather survey data and coordinates rapidly at job sites. “The technology in our industry is game changing,” says Alex Carey. “It makes our work faster and more accurate.”
Meeting the Right People
When they first opened their doors, they worked to build a client base by calling local businesses and joining a variety of networking groups, without much return. But when a local banker introduced them to the Gwinnett Chamber and specifically the Chairman’s Club, they began meeting decision-makers and their customer base began to flourish.
“When you’re building a business, you need to know a C-level person at local companies. The Chairman’s Club puts you in the same room as those people and gives you the chance to bounce ideas off each other and see how you can help each other,” explains Alex Carey.
Patrick Carey adds, “Through the Chairman’s Club, we’ve been able to meet with the Lawrenceville mayor and city manager. We’ve taken retreats to Washington, D.C., and Boston to meet with other business and political leaders from Gwinnett County and beyond, and it’s been very impactful to our business. We’re building a network of contacts here and in other areas that will benefit our business in the short term and long term.
Tremendous Opportunities Ahead
The Keystone team is optimistic about the future of Gwinnett. “There are a lot of really good things happening here in Lawrenceville and throughout the state of Georgia,” says Patrick Carey. “The expansion of Northside Hospital [previously known as Gwinnett Medical Center], a huge tech-focused project known as Rowen near 316, the downtown Lawrenceville rejuvenation with a big expansion of the Aurora Theatre — there are lots of positive things happening nearby.”
Their advice for local business leaders looking for growth? “It’s absolutely essential to be part of the Gwinnett Chamber,” says Alex Carey. “Start meeting people and seeing how you can help them. Then be patient and keep pushing.”