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Contact: Linzy French, 301-714-2201
Hagerstown, Md. - The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is proud to announce the first meeting of the park's re-authorized Federal Advisory Commission. The meeting will take place on Thursday, October 6, 2016, at 9:00 AM at park headquarters. The meeting is open to the public. C&O Canal park headquarters are located at 1850 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, MD 21703. The purpose of the Commission is to consult with the Secretary of the Interior, or her designee, on general policies and specific matters related to the administration and development of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Earlier this summer, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell appointed 18 individuals from nominations made by the four Maryland counties that encompass the national park as well as the states of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.Three at-large commissioners, including one designated as the chair, and two representing regularly constituted conservation organizations make up the Commission. "The Commission is a vital link between the National Park Service and the communities along the canal. I'm thrilled to have these talented and knowledgeable representatives of the community volunteer their time to advise us on the full range of topics and issues that affect the national park," Superintendent Kevin Brandt said. The agenda for the meeting will include the introduction of the Federal Advisory Commision members, as well as the history of the C&O Canal Federal Advisory Commission, review of commission charter, review of Federal Advisory Committee Act, and discussion of general policies and specific matters related to the administration of the park The Commission members: Chairman George E. Lewis Jr. is a Trustee Emeritus of Hood College, founder of the Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Fund, and recipient of the 2014 Preservation Maryland Volunteer Award.As an early advisor to the C&O Canal Trust, a past director of the C&O Canal Association, and recipient of the Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Citizen Stewardship (C&O Canal National Historic Park), Dr. Lewis has demonstrated an abiding and effective commitment to preservation and promotion of the C&O Canal, its heritage, and its ongoing vitality.Dr. Lewis served with distinction in the U. S. Army as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine for 30 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in Animal Science from the University of Florida, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Illinois.Dr. Lewis is a 2009 recipient of the Daughters of the American Revolution National Medal of Honor, and has twice been awarded the DAR Historical Preservation Medal. Allegany County, Md. Stephen D. Nelson is the owner of SD Nelson Marketing Solutions, a publishing and marketing firm in Western Maryland.Mr. Nelson is past president of the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce, YMCA of Cumberland, and Rotary Club of Cumberland and still serves on their respective boards.He also serves on the boards of First Peoples Community Credit Union, Boy Scouts of America Potomac District, and the Tri County Council of Western Maryland.Mr. Nelson is a Scoutmaster for Boy Scout troop 9 and is the recipient of the 2012 Allegany County Chamber of Commerce Community Service award. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Geneva College. Francis O. Zumbrun II served as forest manager of Green Ridge State Forest (GRSF) until retiring in 2009 after 31 years working as a professional forester for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.During his time at GRSF, Mr. Zumbrun also served as a fully commissioned law enforcement officer, Maryland Ranger, and as a natural resource manager in the state forest and park public lands system. Mr. Zumbrun holds a bachelor of science in Forest Resource Management, a master of science in Management;and graduated from the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy. Mr. Zumbrun is a published author of a book and many articles about outdoor recreation and history of public lands management in Maryland. In 2009, Mr. Zumbrun received a national award for "Outstanding Field Forester" by the Society of American Foresters. Frederick County, Md. Joseph A. Adkins is serving as the Deputy Director for Planning for the City of Frederick.Mr. Adkins is in charge for current and long range planning for the city.Under his leadership, the city formed its first Sustainability Commission and started to have serious conversations about resource conservation.Mr. Adkins is very familiar with serving on boards being on the Heart of Civil War Heritage Area Commission since 1998.In addition to serving on HCWAC, Mr. Adkins has served on the State's Task Force on Sustainable Growth &Wastewater Disposal as a liaison for the Maryland Municipal League. In addition to the basic requirements for this position, Mr. Adkins has actively used the C&O Canal for past 45 years with such activities as camping with the Boy Scouts, running the JFK (completing it 4 times), family activities, fishing and preparing for his bike trip on the Allegheny Passage. Walter S. Stull III is a former City Council member for Brunswick, Maryland, where he served for 20 years. During his tenure, Mr. Stull served as liaison to the C&O Canal National Historical Park, commissioner with the Brunswick Planning Commission, and chairman of recreation and finance committees. Mr. Stull is a past chair and founding member of Canal Towns Partnership, whose mission is the economic vitality of towns along the C&O Canal. He is the Maryland Municipal League's representative to the Tourism Council of Frederick County and Transportation Services Advisory Committee of Frederick County. Mr. Stull is a past president of the Brunswick Heritage Museum which houses the C&O Canal Visitor Center. He is retired from the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. Montgomery County, Md. Roger A. Berliner was first elected in 2006 to the Montgomery County Council, Roger Berliner represents the Western part of Montgomery County.He is the Chair of the Council's Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy, and Environment Committee and has been the author of more than two dozen laws that make Montgomery County one of the most sustainable communities in the country.In addition, he is a member of the Health &Human Services Committee, where he has been a strong advocate for seniors, library users, the disabled, and the poor.In addition to his council roles, Councilmember Berliner currently serves as Chair of the Washington Regional Board of Directors of the Council of Governments. Paul N. Chod is a Washington University alumni graduating with a Master of Science in Engineering. Mr. Chod is the president and owner of Minkoff Development Corporation ("MDC") since 1978. MDC assists in full service real estate development such as site selection, financing, building design, construction, leasing, and property management. Mr. Chod has a Real Estate Broker's License in Maryland. Washington County, Md. George F. Franks III is the President of Franks Consulting Group and owner of Geo. Franks, Hatter, a global e-commerce business. He is a former technology executive with extensive international experience. George is the founder and President of the Battle of Falling Waters 1863 Foundation, Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. He is a Governor and former officer of the Company of Military Historians and the former President of the organization's Chesapeake Chapter. George served as President of the Capitol Hill Civil War Round Table and is an active member of Hagerstown Civil War Round Table, Save Historic Antietam Foundation and the Civil War Trust. He is the author of Battle of Falling Waters 1863: Custer, Pettigrew and the End of the Gettysburg Campaign and lives in the 1830 Daniel Donnelly House on the battlefield - less than a mile from the C&O Canal. George was awarded the 2015 John Frye Historical Preservation Award by the Washington County (Maryland) Commissioners. He studied history at the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Pittsburgh where he was graduated Magna cum Laude. AT&T selected George for the executive programs in marketing and international business at University of Virginia Darden School and Emory University Goizueta Business School. District of Columbia Thomas L. Birch has held public office in Washington, D.C. since elected in 2000 as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Georgetown.A former legislative counsel to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, he served for more than thirty years as counsel for a variety of nonprofit organizations. He was a Peace Corps volunteer for three years in Morocco, and has served on the boards of several charitable organizations.He has received the American Psychological Association's Award for Distinguished Contribution to Child Advocacy (2003), the Citizens Association of Georgetown Belin Award for distinguished community service (2006), and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies President's Award for Outstanding Advocacy (2012). He holds a B.A. in American history from Lehigh University and a J.D. from George Washington University. Scott A. Walzak is the Executive Director and co-founder of MakeDC, a Public Interest Design studio focused on providing human-centered design solutions for the District and surrounding metro areas. A leading expert in the field of sustainable and biometric design, Scott serves as an Adjunct Professor at Catholic University. He has received multiple national and international design awards, and has served on numerous competition juries. An experienced project manager, Scott simplifies the process of design, construction, and implementation through collaborative and integrative strategies that incorporate the needs of stakeholders, shareholders, and users. State of Maryland Angela O. Hummer is a Park Ranger Lieutenant with the Maryland Park Service.She currently manages four parks and has over 25 years of experience in law enforcement management, natural resource management and state park operations. She holds a Master's of Science Degree in Park and Recreation Administration and graduated from the Maryland Ranger School and the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy. She was recently certified as a Certified Park and Recreation Professional through the National Recreation and Parks Association. Roderick C. Mackler is the first vice president of the Chesapeake &Ohio Canal Association and chair of the Association's environment committee.The C&O Canal Association is an all-volunteer citizen's organization established in 1954 to help conserve the natural and historical environment of the C&O Canal and the Potomac River Basin.Mr. Mackler frequently volunteers with the Association to work on the C&O Canal. He is a retired Foreign Service Officer, regularly attends the World Canals Conference, and brings an international perspective to the C&O Canal. Commonwealth of Virginia David G. Brickley is the President of the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance, a nonprofit organization developing a national 1,300-mile trail connecting the three national 9/11 memorials. Coming to Virginia from military service in Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Brickley served as Assistant County Executive for Prince William County, followed by 22 years as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. From 1998 to 2002 he was the Director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation which in 2001 received the National Gold Medal Award for the "Best Managed State Park System in America." That same year Mr. Brickley received Environment Virginia's Environmental Legacy Award.He is an attorney and holds a juris doctorate from George Mason University's School of Law. Stella M. Koch has been a strong advocate for the protection and restoration of local streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay for over 30 years. She presently serves as Chair of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, Chair of the Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (advisory to the Board of Supervisors), and Chair of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters Education Fund.She worked for Audubon Naturalist as their Virginia Conservation Advocate for over 25 years and prior to that taught Biology. She previously served on the Potomac River Keeper Board and the Choose Clean Water Coalition Steering Committee. State of West Virginia Mark T. Cucuzzella is a Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine. He is also a Lt Col in the US Air Force designing programs to promote health and better fitness in the military with the USAF Efficient Running Project.In his community and medical school he has been a tireless promoter of nutritional interventions in patients with any spectrum of the metabolic syndrome, introducing a low carb option for hospital patients. He was a lead writer of one of the first grants supporting education of Medical Students in nutrition and physical activity through the MEDCHEFS program, now in its 3rd year.Mark is also the lead on a large USDA grant to double SNAP benefits at Farmers Markets- the goal is reducing food insecurity as a barrier to healthier eating. He's also been a competitive runner for over 30 years —with more than 100 marathon and ultramarathon finishes —and continues to compete as a national-level Masters runner. He has won the Air Force Marathon twice. He is the race director of Freedom's Run race series in West Virginia and director of the Natural Running Center, an education portal designed to teach healthier running. Mark is also the owner of Two Rivers Treads —A Center for Natural Running and Walking in his hometown of Shepherdstown, W.Va.Mark's vision of medical care as it should be is housed in his site www.natureprescriptions.org. Mark's innovative work and story has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Outside Magazine, Running Times, Runners World, Air Force Times, the Washington Post, JAMA, Blue Ridge Outdoors, and other medical and media outlets. Clifford W. Smith retired in 2014 and decided to walk the C&O Canal and raise money for a charity which advocates for abused and neglected children in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Prior to retiring, Mr. Smith graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Marine Engineering, entered the Royal Navy in 1957 and was promoted to commander in 1975. Mr. Smith retired from the Navy in 1978 and started a business called Allied Defense Industries and in 1985 created a subsidiary company called ADI Services. In 1997, Mr. Smith sold the business to his son and worked until 2013. Mr. Smith has a strong interest in the preservation and maintenance of the canal as a national historic treasure. At Large Ray E. Dinterman is the Mid-Atlantic Retail Director for REI –Recreational Equipment, Inc., a consumer co-op whose mission is to "Inspire, educate, and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship". Mr. Dinterman oversees operations for the co-op in Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, and Pittsburgh. He is also a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and actively volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America (himself an Eagle Scout) and Frederick County (MD) 4-H where he serves as a Camelid (Alpaca) Superintendent at The Great Frederick Fair. Evelyn F. C. Williams is currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at Frostburg State University, supervising their social studies student teachers. In July, 2015, she retired from Washington County Public Schools (WCPS)where she served for 20 years as a high school teacher and then 15 years as an Administrator. Her last position with WCPS 2006-2015 was as the Supervisor of Social Studies for WCPS. Each year in that position she secured grants to provide buses for every fourth grade class in Washington County Public Schools to visit the Cushwa Basin of the C&O Canal. Additionally she helped develop educational materials and a panel of volunteers to support the trips.She serves on numerous boards in her local community including the Washington Historical Society, Washington Museum of Fine Arts and Washington County Department of Social Services. She is also a member of the Friends of Acadia and the C&O Canal Association where she volunteers as a level walker. She believes that one of the keys to foster conservation is through voter education. To this end she has long served on the Board for the Washington County chapter of the League of Women Voters, supporting their advocacy for environmental and conservation measures. |
Last updated: September 16, 2016