Department of Parks
Parks Department Appointments Announced

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Commerce Secretary Marcheta Sparrow today announced several appointments of veteran employees to leadership positions at the Kentucky Department of Parks. They are:

Mark McLemore will be the deputy parks commissioner. McLemore had been serving as the park manager at Kenlake State Resort Park at Aurora. McLemore has 34 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including 22 years with the state parks. He also served as park manager at Jenny Wiley, Natural Bridge and Buckhorn Lake state resort parks. He has also served on the board of the Kentucky Hotel and Lodging Association and the Kentucky Tourism Council.

Kerry Lamb will be the director of resort parks for the department. Lamb has spent more than 26 years with state parks, beginning as a desk clerk at Kenlake State Resort Park in 1981. He most recently served as an assistant director for customer service, where he was instrumental in the implementation of the resort parks property management system and the online reservation system for state park lodge rooms and cottages.

MaryDee Miller will be the director for historic and recreational parks. Miller began her career with the park system in 1979 at Barren River State Resort Park and was named the manager at John James Audubon State Park at Henderson in 1986. She oversaw the renovation of the park’s museum as well as the purchase of several key pieces for the museum’s collection.

Sam Devine will be the director of customer service. He began his career with the parks as a bellman at Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park and served as the manager at Greenbo Lake, Blue Licks Battlefield and E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park. He also worked as the assistant director for purchasing and marketing and most recently worked as the assistant director for customer service.

--30--

The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov