FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 19, 2010

Cary's Queen of Parks to Retire From Public Service
National Search to Begin this Month

CARY, NC – After more than 30 years of public service, Town of Cary Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources (PRCR) Director Mary G. Henderson will retire on June 1, 2010.  The Town plans to post the position vacancy and begin a national recruitment effort later this month, with hopes of having a new director on board this summer. 

A native of Statesville, NC, Henderson, 55, joined the Town of Cary in 1981 and was promoted to department director in 1995.  As director, she led the Town’s PRCR department to national accreditation and grew the community’s facilities and services to include the USA Baseball National Training Complex, the Cary Tennis Park, Booth Amphitheater, three community centers, eight parks, and 24 miles of greenway trails.  She also coordinated the acquisition of over 1,000 acres of open space and parkland.

“Mary’s done a superior job in every aspect of parks, recreation, and cultural resources, and most of what the public enjoys in Cary today is largely due to her leadership,” said Town Manager Ben Shivar.  “She’s particularly skilled in long-range planning and negotiating cooperative agreements with everyone from landowners and developers to business people and public officials.  At the same time, she can manage the smallest detail of a project to ensure its success.  We certainly wish Mary the very best.”

With a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration and a Master’s degree in Physical Education both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Henderson currently serves on the Board of Regents for Oglebay Park’s Revenue Management School, the US Tennis Association’s National Tennis in the Public Parks Committee, and the NC Trails Committee.  Her awards include: the 2006 NC Recreation and Park Association Fellow Meritorious Service Award; the 2005 John B. Ross, Jr. Leadership Award from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; the 1998 Distinguished Alumnus Award from UNC Leisure Studies and Recreation Administration; and one of Cary Magazine’s 2009 Women of Western Wake.

“What a wonderful opportunity I have had throughout my career, not only to be actively engaged in the profession of parks and recreation to which I am deeply committed, but also to work in the best local government organization in NC,” said Henderson. “While I am extremely excited about my future opportunity to spend more time for myself and with my family, I am not sure that I can yet comprehend how much I will miss the people that I interact with on a daily basis. I truly thank our staff, my Department Director peers, the Town Manager, the elected officials, our wonderfully committed volunteers, and Cary citizens who have so positively impacted my life.”

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PRIMARY CONTACTS: 
Mary Henderson, PRCR Director, (919) 469-4061
Ben Shivar, Town Manager, (919) 469-4002
Deanna Boone, Deputy Public Information Officer (919) 468-3908
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951