News Release

Two Gateway Arch National Park Employees Earn National Park Service Regional Awards

Left: Marcus Banks, Right: Jim Cagle

NPS Photo

News Release Date: March 1, 2021

Contact: Pam Sanfililppo, 314-655-1634

“Marcus Banks and James Cagle exemplify extraordinary leadership in their dedication to making Gateway Arch National Park an enjoyable destination for visitors and an exceptional workplace for our staff,” says Gateway Arch National Park Superintendent Mike Ward. “We are incredibly proud to have Marcus and James lead our team here at Gateway Arch National Park. These awards are very well deserved.”

Administrative Excellence of the Year: Marcus Banks 
Administrative Officer Marcus Banks has been awarded Administrative Excellence of the Year in recognition of his outstanding administrative contributions to Gateway Arch National Park. Banks, a 28-year veteran of the National Park Service, has served as acting administrative officer since January 2020 and is responsible for managing the park’s operational budget (over $12 million), organizational structure, and implementing changes in support of human resourcing needs for the park. As part of his customer service ethic, he has also provided administrative services to Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis as well as Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marcus assisted employees in transitioning to telework status, which included managing IT and office equipment needs, establishing budget tracking procedures for COVID-19-related expenditures, and securing essential safety and operational items. In addition to the many other projects and accomplishments, Marcus has built coalitions internally and outside the organization. Externally, he established a relationship with the National Older Worker Career Center to employ temporary employees to assist with park projects, and worked internally with the Midwest Region Relevancy, Diversity and Inclusion manager to broaden recruitment efforts.

The Administrative Excellence of the Year award was created in honor of Lawrence (Larry) Sandarciero, former administrative officer at Gateway Arch National Park. This is the award’s inaugural year, and it will continue to be given out annually. 

Facility Manager of the Year: James Cagle
Facility Manager James Cagle has been awarded Facility Manager of the Year in recognition of his excellence in facility operations and maintenance support for the Midwest Region. Cagle has served as facility management lead at Gateway Arch National Park since January 2017. Additionally, he has held facility management positions at Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, and Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis.

At Gateway Arch National Park, Cagle is responsible for developing and implementing a complex facility management program, which includes partnership and leadership, asset management and operations, environmental management, landscape management, and project management that ensures the preservation management of park resources, roads, trails and more. He also manages a complex program of ongoing projects that require close collaboration with internal and external partners.

The Facility Manager awards (Facility Manager of the Year, Frontline Hero and Facility Team Award) recognize facility operations and maintenance support services that reflect outstanding achievements in customer service, asset management, project management, park operations and maintenance.