FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: August 15, 2001
WENDY
SPENCER NAMED STATE PARKS DIRECTOR
TALLAHASSEE
-- Wendy Mays
Spencer has been appointed Director of the Department of
Environmental Protection’s Division of Recreation and Parks by
DEP Secretary David B. Struhs. Spencer succeeds Fran P. Mainella,
who was recently appointed Director of the National Park Service
by President George W. Bush. In making the announcement, Struhs
emphasized Spencer’s unique ability to interact with and lead
large people-oriented organizations.
"Wendy
is a dynamic person who has an outstanding ability to bring out
the best in people," said Struhs. "She has large shoes
to fill, but is more than up to the task. The state parks system
requires a tireless promoter, someone with a record of
accomplishments and an ability to work with what is clearly an
all-star team of managers and associates. I am confident that we
have that match and Florida’s award-winning state parks, as well
as the millions of park visitors, will be the beneficiaries."
Spencer
comes to DEP following 10 years with the United Way of Big Bend,
where she has served as Resource Development Director. During that
time, fundraising rose by 145 percent. In 1999, United Way of the
Big Bend was recognized as the fastest growing United Way in the
nation among similar sized cities and the fourth fastest among all
cities. For the past two years she served as the Statewide
Campaign Director for the Florida State Employees’ Charitable
Campaign (FSECC). In 2000, Florida finished second in the nation
in charitable dollars raised by state employees.
"I
will long remember the telephone call from Secretary Struhs
offering me the challenge of a lifetime," said Spencer.
"I can not wait to begin the mission of building upon Fran’s
many successes and working with the team in the Division of
Recreation and Parks. It is an honor to join the administration of
Governor Bush and Lieutenant Governor Brogan, who have been so
helpful to charitable causes throughout the state, and have
consistently shown their support of Florida’s state parks and
the environment. Secretary Struhs and Deputy Secretary Ballard
share my vision of an increasingly user-friendly park system and
have offered their total support."
Wendy
Spencer came to Tallahassee from central and south Georgia, where
she held senior positions in both the private and public sector.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications from
Valdosta State University
"Wendy
is a charismatic leader who is absolutely tailor-made for this
job," said Bob Ballard, DEP’s Deputy Secretary for Land and
Recreation. "Florida’s state parks will continue to
flourish through her leadership and with the dedication of our
park professionals, who are committed to resource protection and
recreation."
Spencer
will begin her new role on September 4. She assumes responsibility
for a park system that now numbers in excess of 150 and has
received numerous honors and awards. Highlights of the numerous
achievements include:
- Received the 1999
National Gold Medal State Park Award when it was voted America’s
Best State Park system.
- The Recreational
Vehicle Resort at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park was awarded
the highest honors for exceptional service and outstanding
facilities from two of the nation’s most prestigious
campground directories – Woodall’s and Trailer
Life – putting them in the top 1 percent of RV parks in
the nation.
- The Florida Disabled
Outdoors Association honored numerous Florida state park
employees for creating a more user-friendly facility.
- Amtrak was added to
the growing list of Florida State Park partners, now totaling
more than 1,900.
- A recent Florida State
Park survey revealed that nearly 99 percent of respondents
felt that the park system’s natural and cultural features
were worth protecting, while 95 percent would like to visit
the park again and 96 percent of the respondents were
satisfied with their trip. Nearly 95 percent felt that state
parks are clean and well maintained.
- Attendance at Florida
State Parks reached an all-time high -- more than 18 million
people visited Florida’s state parks last year, which is a
new attendance record for the state’s award-winning state
park system. The latest attendance figures for fiscal year
2000-01, which began July 1, 2000 and ended June 30, 2001,
show that park attendance reached 18.1 million visitors --
8.2-percent more than the 16.7-million visitors to Florida’s
state parks the previous fiscal year.
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