Lamar and Pat Marchese
Highlights from the Professional Biography of PAT MARCHESE
In 2007, she was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Nevada Association of Public Administrators and from the National Association of County Parks and Recreation Officials.
Some examples of accomplishments during Pat Marchese’s tenure as Director of Clark County Parks Recreation and Cultural Affairs include the opening of new parks and community centers such as the Desert Breeze Park, Center and Aquatics Complex, Hollywood Recreation Center and Aquatics Complex, Whitney Community Center, Lone Mountain Discovery Park, the Western Trails Park and the Cora Coleman and Flamingo Senior Centers. Major projects include the 2,900 acre Sport Shooting Park in the northwest and the 2,800 acre Wetlands environmental park and education center. Also during Marchese’s administration the department received over $125 million in State and federal grants to develop the parks and recreation system according to its master plan, now the largest system in the state of Nevada.
During her career, Marchese received many awards and honors including being named by the Las Vegas Review Journal as one of “The First 100: Men and Women Who Shaped Las Vegas.” She is also a recipient of the Nevada Governor’s Arts Award. Marchese held state and national certification as a recreation professional She was former chair of the Nevada Humanities Committee, grants chairman for the Las Vegas Centennial Commission, an officer in the National Association of County Parks and Recreation Officials and is a sustaining member of the Las Vegas Junior League. She was on the founding boards of the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum, Nevada Public Radio, the Las Vegas Springs Preserve Foundation and the Outside Las Vegas Foundation.
Highlights from the Professional Biography of LAMAR MARCHESE
The birth and growth of Nevada Public Radio, during Lamar’s watch, was a milestone in the maturation of our city. It marked equality with other major regional cities like Phoenix, Denver and Los Angeles in having an active local NPR station.
During Lamar’s 40 year career in Las Vegas and as an active member of the arts and cultural community he received numerous awards and commendations including the Governor’s Arts Award, the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame and later it’s “Lifetime Achievement Award”, Radio Manager of the Year from the Development Exchange, the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects “Livable Community Award” and the College of Southern Nevada’s “Legacy of Achievement Award.”
During the 1990’s Lamar became active in local, regional and national public broadcasting and cultural and civic affairs. He organized the Nevada Public Broadcasting Association and as its Chairman approached the Nevada Legislature for State funding. After years of lobbying, State funding for public radio and TV was received and is still active today. He served on the Board of Rocky Mountain Public Radio, a regional group of public stations and was elected to two terms on the Board of Director of National Public Radio. His civic work included a seat on the City of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission, Chairman of the Clark County Cable Television Advisory Board, a graduate of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce “Leadership Las Vegas’ program, a member of the Las Vegas Rotary Club, on the Boards of the Shade Tree Shelter, the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Literary Society of Las Vegas and was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. Through all his 42 years with Nevada Public Radio, first as a volunteer and then employee, Lamar Marchese always kept his eye on the prize, the fulfillment of the stated mission of Nevada Public Radio to “enhance the quality of life and build better communities by informing, educating, entertaining and inspiring our growing audiences.”