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Mark Rupsis, Chief Operating Officer of Chester County, has been honored by the Chester County Chamber of Commerce as this year's recipient of the "J. Larry Boling Innovation and Excellence in Government Award." This award was created in order to commemorate and honor Larry Boling (1944-1992), a former County administrator, who was an outstanding public servant. The award serves to recognize continuing excellence in public administration.

During the time that Mark has had responsibility for overseeing both the County's finances and the operations of County departments, including the County Planning Commission, the County has achieved national recognition in many areas. For instance, Chester County has developed and adopted Landscapes2, our nationally-recognized and award-winning comprehensive plan for growth and preservation. The Chester County Board of Commissioners also initiated a County Strategic Planning Process, which emphasizes managing public resources for measurable results.

A graduate of St. Bonaventure University, Mark completed his Masters in Public Administration from Penn State University. He serves on numerous non-profit boards and is also an adjunct instructor in Public Budgeting and Finance at Widener University.

Nancy Mohr, Vice-Chair of the Chester County Planning Commission, has released an updated version of a book that is of great interest to residents of Chester County. Entitled, "The Lady Blows the Horn" (2011), tells the colorful story of Nancy Penn Smith Hannum, lady master of the foxhounds and the Cheshire Hunt. But more importantly, this book is a narrative about how the open space preservation movement in Chester County started. Many of the farms, woodlots and natural areas mentioned in the book are now permanently preserved from inappropriate development, in a great way, thanks to Mrs. Hannum's tireless efforts of preserving the resources she cherished. These preservation efforts ultimately served as a basis of Landscapes2, the County's growth and preservation plan. The Planning Commission appreciates Nancy for bringing this revealing story to our attention. Copies of the book are available through Sevynmor Press.

Randy Waltermyer, a transportation planner with the Planning Commission, successfully passed the professional planners exam of the American Institute of Certified Planners at the end of 2011. The examination tests skills in all areas of planning and requires diligent preparation. Randy completed this training without the slightest impact on his work program. This accomplishment is a testament to Randy's commitment to both Chester County and the planning profession. Congratulations Randy.

Susan Elks, AICP, a community planner with the Planning Commission has been awarded the 2012 Irving Hand Excellence in Planning Professional Develop Award by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association. The $2500 educational stipend is awarded annually to an outstanding Pennsylvania planner who demonstrates excellence in the field of community planning and a desire to enhance their expertise or develop new skills. The award is in honor of Irving Hand, FAICP, who has earned a national reputation for his thoughtful contributions to the planning profession. Susan's work brings her into contact with many different entities that have varying opinions and agendas, and mediation skills will be useful in bringing these groups to a consensus and moving planning efforts forward.

Chester County Planning Commission
601 Westtown Road, Suite 270 • P.O. Box 2747
West Chester, PA 19380-0990
Phone: 610-344-6285 • Fax: 610-344-6515
www.chesco.org/planning • landscapes2@chesco.org