Originally written and published in the KSBTP Newsletter July 1997 by Charles A. Stryker, P.E. and revised by F. Glenn Phinney, P.E. on June 14, 2011.  Latest revision: August 1, 2012.

The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions (KSBTP) is a combined board that represents Professional Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Land Surveying and Geology.  The Board was combined in 1976 for four professions, with Geology being added in 2000.  Registration of the individual professions had occurred much earlier.  The original Board was comprised of nine members.  The largest change in the Board occurred in 1993 when the Board increased its size to the present thirteen members.

In 1976, K.S.A. 74-7001 was established by the Legislature to create the Board of Technical Professions by combining the Engineering Examiners Registration Board, the Architects Registration Board, and the Landscape Architects Registration Board.  K.S.A. 74-7004 provides that the purpose of the Board of Technical Professions is to establish and maintain a high standard of integrity, skills and practice in the technical professions and to safeguard the safety, life, health, property and welfare of the public.

In the 1997 Legislature, H.B. 2490 created the licensing of geologists starting July 1, 2000, under the Board of Technical Professions.  The Board began accepting applications for licensure in November 1998 for licensure by a grandfather provision of K.S.A. 74-7043.  Effective July 1, 2000, a licensed geologist replaced a public member on the Board.

The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions currently has 13 members:   two public members, three professional engineers, three architects, one landscape architect, two land surveyors, one member that is a dual professional engineer/land surveyor, and one geologist.

Legal Authority

KSBTP was established by the Kansas Legislature to act as the administrative agency for licensing and regulating the five professions.  The Board has the legal responsibility to protect the public health, safety and welfare by taking the necessary steps to ensure that only qualified individuals practice the technical professions, and that once licensed, an individual adheres to the strict ethical and performance standards set forth in the Board’s regulations.  The Board’s licensing responsibilities are essentially administrative in nature, however, the Board’s enforcement responsibilities, i.e., investigation and prosecution of violations, are judicial in nature.  For this reason, the agency is what is commonly referred to as a “quasi-judicial” agency.  When the Board receives a complaint from an individual or entity alleging a violation of the laws, or if the Board upon its own motion decides that a violation may have occurred, the Board has a responsibility for investigating the circumstances of the case to determine whether or not the alleged violation actually occurred.

History of Licensing

Licensing has been in existence for a long time in the State of Kansas.  The first profession that was licensed was the Registration Board for Professional Engineers, and its first meeting was July of 1931.  It was comprised of five individuals, including the Deans of Engineering at Kansas State University and University of Kansas, a County Engineer, a Consulting Engineer and an Engineer with a structural steel fabrication company.  All were appointed by then Governor Harry Woodring on July 2, 1931.  Professional Engineer license #1 was issued to R. J. Paulette.

The Architectural Registration Board held its first meeting in June 1949, after two years of legislative debate before final approval of statutes allowed the creation of the Board.  The Board was comprised of five individuals who were in private practice; however, the first temporary Chairman was Charles Marshall, who was the State Architect.  Architect License #1 was issued to Charles W. Shaver.

The Board for Landscape Architects was established in 1968 and our records for its initial start are not available.  It is known that Ralph Ricklefs of Salina was Chairman of the Board and instrumental in getting the Board established.  Landscape Architect license #1 was issued to Robert P. Ealy on July 21, 1968.

The Land Surveyors were incorporated into the Engineer’s Board and information about a separate board is not available at the Board office.  The first Land Surveyor license was issued to Truman Schlup on January 1, 1969.

On January 29, 1999, the first Geology License was issued to Lee Gerhard.  In June of 2000, the first Geologist was added to the Board in place of a public member.  The Board remains at a total of 13 members.

The impetus to combine the Boards was primarily driven by State Government consolidating administrative activities.  The first meeting to discuss the combined operation of the Boards of Engineering, Architecture and Landscape Architecture was June of 1970.  They met again in April of 1972, at which time it was agreed that the Kansas Engineering Society would present a proposed bill to the Legislature in the 1973 session.

Perhaps the action that allowed the Board to be combined was the Kansas University Medical Center project that was widely reported as a scandal within the professions.  The principal Legislators during the Legislative Sessions of 1975 and 1976 developed a plan for combining the Boards.   Legislation authorizing the Combined Board was completed in 1976.  The first order of compliance concerned individuals and firms that were involved in the KU Medical Center project.  The intense legal activity concerning the project resulted in the Board obtaining its own legal counsel by contract.  Mark Bennett was retained as Board Attorney in July 1977.  Mr. Bennett continues to serve as Board Attorney.

Charlotte Olander was selected as Executive Secretary in April 1976 and Hal Walker was the representative from the Attorney General’s office.  There were three full time staff persons for the administration of the Board.  There have been four persons fill the Executive Secretary/Director position of the Board since 1976.  After Charlotte Olander, Jean Barbee was hired in 1979. In October 1984, Betty Rose was hired and served until March 2008 after more than 23 years of service.  Since March 2008, Jean Boline currently serves as Executive Director.

Since 1976, changes in operations of the Board reflect improvements to the professions and composition of the Board.  There have been changes in administrative requirements and compliance activities.  Many of the technical professions go beyond the State of Kansas in their practice which means there are professionals requesting to be licensed in Kansas who reside in other states increasing the number of licenses by comity/reciprocity.

Dedicated professionals and public members have served as Board Members.  The effort by these professionals has allowed the Board to maintain the high standards that the State of Kansas has for its’ professionals.  It is well known that Kansas enjoys one of the highest levels of expertise for engineering in the United States and has an excellent reputation for the other professions as well.  A list of Board members is provided that have served on the Board since 1976.  As a professional, if you are aware of those that have served as Board members, let them know that you appreciate them taking time away from their professional careers and businesses to help keep your profession at the highest level in Kansas.

Kansas State Board of Technical Professions Historical List of Board Members

1976 – 2012

MEMBER                                         LENGTH                                  YEARS                                   NOTES          

Kansas State Board of Technical Professions Executive Directors

1976 - 2012