DATE: March 15, 2007

CONTACT: Fran Mainella, (864) 656-2566
fmainel@clemson.edu

WRITER: Ross Norton, (864) 656-4810
ross.norton@clemsonews.clemson.edu

Mainella keynotes N.J. parks association

CLEMSON, S.C. — The former director of the National Park Service, now a visiting scholar at Clemson University in South Carolina, delivered the keynote address Monday at the New Jersey Recreation & Parks Association annual meeting at Bally’s Park Place Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J.

Her remarks, “Stewardship: The Power of Collaboration,” addressed the strategy that helped Mainella establish her reputation while overseeing the National Park Service. Mainella was known for finding innovative solutions by building partnerships among other agencies and interested parties.

Mainella told conference attendees how she learned to develop the collaboration needed for successful public stewardship.

President George W. Bush made Mainella the first woman to head the National Park Service when he appointed her the 16^th director in 2001. She served five years before resigning last October, when she accepted the position as visiting scholar in Clemson University’s department of parks, recreation and tourism management.

The PRTM department annually presents the nationally recognized George B. Hartzog Jr. Lecture and Award Series, where the biennial Fran P. Mainella Award is presented to someone who shows exemplary leadership in park management. Hartzog also is a former National Park Service director.