News Release 11-063
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director
Media contact:
Media contact: Virginia Painter, 360-902-8562
Sandy Mealing: 360-902-8559
Wash. Telecommunications Relay Service:
(800) 833-6388
Mark Brown appointed to serve on Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
OLYMPIA –
Oct. 17, 2011 –
Gov. Christine O. Gregoire has appointed Mark O. Brown of Lacey to serve on the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, beginning immediately.
Brown, 61, is a governmental affairs professional who brings years of public and private sector experience to the Commission. He is president of Connections Public Affairs and has public and private sector clients throughout Southwest Washington. He is former Mayor of the City of Lacey and also previously served as director of the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission sets policy for the Washington State Parks and Recreation agency, which manages a diverse system of 117 parks, including long-distance land and water trails and statewide programs such as winter recreation and boating safety. The Commission is comprised of seven citizen volunteers who serve six-year terms. They hire a director to oversee the agency’s operating and capital programs. The Commission has public meetings six times a year at predetermined locations around the state.
Brown’s Commission term will run through December 2016. He takes the seat vacated by Kelly Punteney of Vancouver, who recently resigned.
Brown has been a key player for the past 15 years in efforts to preserve and reuse historic and recreational assets at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and also played a key role with the Confluence Project, which has installed artworks by renowned artist Maya Lin at Sacajawea and Cape Disappointment state parks in conjunction with the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. He is a former member of the State Investment Board and currently serves on several other boards and commissions.
“I’m coming on the Commission at a time when the agency is facing unprecedented financial challenges,” Brown said. “The Commission is going to lead a historic transformation of the agency, and while undoubtedly a daunting task, I plan to give it my all.”
Mark Brown and his wife, Julie, live in Lacey.
For more information about Washington State Parks, visit the website www.parks.wa.gov.
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Washington State Parks is now on Twitter at WaStatePks_NEWS and YouTube at WashingtonStateParks.
Editor’s note: A high-resolution, full color photo is available upon request.
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