[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 53 (Wednesday, May 3, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E629-E630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     GARY EVERHARDT: PUBLIC SERVANT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES H. TAYLOR

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 3, 2000

  Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise and 
commend a great public servant of Western North Carolina and the 
National Park Service, Gary Everhardt, Superintendent of the Blue Ridge 
Parkway. Gary has been devoted to making our National Parks cleaner, 
safer and more enjoyable for future generations. Today marks the 
beginning of Gary's well-earned retirement.
  Gary is a native of Western North Carolina and is a product of the 
Lenoir North Carolina School System. He graduated in 1957 with a degree 
in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University and 
immediately began work for the Park Service as a civil engineer for the 
Blue Ridge Parkway. He has served in engineering positions at the Park 
Service's Southeast and Southwest offices. Gary was also named the 
Superintendent of Grand Teton National Park in January 1972. While 
there he helped orchestrate and conduct the Second World Conference on 
National Parks. For his effort and hard work, Gary was awarded the 
Department of the Interiors Meritorious Service Award.
  President Gerald Ford recognized Everhardt's dedication, 
professionalism, and hard work as he named Gary the ninth director of 
the National Park Service on January 13, 1975. It was under Gary's 
leadership that the Park Service saw a period of unbridled growth and 
success. The Park took great steps in the areas of visitor services and 
safety. Gary, with President Ford's approval, proposed doubling the 
park size with the purchase of nearly 32 million acres of land in 
Alaska.
  Gary returned home to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1977 to assume 
leadership as the fifth Superintendent of the Parkway and since that 
time Gary has worked diligently to improve relations with neighbors of 
the Parkway and government agency officials. Gary took a construction 
program that was near death and revived it. The final section of the 
Parkway motor road at Grandfather Mountain was completed in 1987. 
During Everhardt's tenure, the number of visitors to the park has risen 
to over 25 million.
  I would like to add my tribute to Gary to the long list of honors 
that he has received in the past. In 1985 Everhardt received the 
Department of the Interior's highest honor, the Distinguished Service 
Award. In 1990 he received the Cornelius Amory Pugsley Medal from the 
National Park Foundation for stellar contributions to the advancement 
of parks and recreation. In September 1998 Gary received the Walter T. 
Cox award at the George B. Hertzog Lecture at Clemson University, this 
Award recognized Gary's sustained public achievement in wise management 
of natural and cultural resources.
  Everhardt has a long list of involvement in other agencies and groups 
including his roles as Past President of the Asheville Federal 
Executive Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the 
Appalachian Consortium, and as a member of the North Carolina National 
Parks, Parkway & Forestry Development Council.

[[Page E630]]

  I am sure that Gary will enjoy this well deserved retirement from the 
National Park Service. But I believe that it will leave him more time 
for the jobs that he enjoys most; being a husband, father of two, and a 
grandfather of three. I know that my colleagues will join me in 
saluting this fine public servant and community leader and thanking him 
for nearly 45 years of service to the National Park Service.

                          ____________________