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V

irginia

C

apitol

C

onnections

, W

inter

2017

28

Alan Mayer was one of the few

members of the Virginia House of

Delegates who did not look in the

bathroom mirror every morning and see

the future Governor of Virginia looking

back at him. He was already 61 years old

when he was elected to his first term in a

special election in 1986. He didn’t run to

launch a political trajectory, to transition

into some lucrative full-time appointive

position or to achieve name recognition

to promote his business or professional

visibility. Alan just wanted to make a positive contribution to the

people of his community and his Commonwealth.

He had retired in 1980 from a 29-year career at the Central

Intelligence Agency as a senior officer, where he received the

Intelligence Medal of Merit. He had also retired from the U. S.

Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant Commander

after service from 1944 during World War II

through 1985.

In 1986, I had been appointed Director

of the Department of Health Professions by

Governor Gerald Baliles. Almost immediately

upon Alan’s arrival in Richmond, he and I

began working together on a relatively large and

somewhat controversial package of legislation

to promote integrity and competency in health

professions and how they are regulated for the

protection of the public. Even though he was a

freshman Delegate, he sponsored and managed

several of these bills. He continued his interest

in effective regulation of health professions

throughout his ten years of service in the

General Assembly.

His heart and main focus as a legislator was

on promoting effective services for Virginians

who had experienced life-altering injuries,

Alan Mayer

By bernie Henderson

mayer

In Memoriam

especially brain injuries. He sponsored legislation that created

the Virginia Disabilities Commission and was a member of it. He

also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Brain Injury

Services, Incorporated.

In 1984, at the age of 60, Alan earned a master’s degree in

urban planning from the University of Virginia. That same year, he

was awarded the Virginia Citizens Planning Association’s student

achievement award. This expertise caused him to be immediately

recognized by his colleagues in the General Assembly as an

authority on responsible urban planning.

Alan retired from the House of Delegates in 1996. At the

age of 71, having served in many capacities as a public servant

in the most honorable and distinguished meaning of that term,

and still enjoying good health and an active life, he deserved

to enjoy life with his wife, children and grandchildren without

further public responsibilities, but he instead continued to serve

our Commonwealth. He was appointed by Governor Mark Warner

in 2002 to the Board of Health Professions and he served as Chair

of the Board, using the expertise he developed as chief patron of

so many of the laws administered by that body.

Alan remained active in his community. He

received the Fairfax County Federation Citizen

of Merit award in 1996, the Rotary Four Avenues

of Service award in 2002 and the Annandale

Rotarian of the Year award in 2003.

Alan Mayer exemplified the model citizen

who served his community, his Commonwealth

and his nation with diligence and compassion.

He was a humble and dedicated servant who

saw service as its own reward and did not seek

or even feel comfortable in the limelight. Alan

left us on Sunday, December 4, 2016, at the

age of 91. Virginia is blessed and infinitely

better because he was here.

Bernie Henderson is a Funeral Celebrant and

President of Woody Funeral Home. Prior to

his retirement at the end of Governor Kaine’s

administration, Henderson served in a variety

of positions in Virginia government.

Blue Ridge PBS -WBRA

(Roanoke, Lynchburg)—Fridays at 7:30 p.m.,

Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Southwest Virginia PTV

Monday at 6:30 a.m. & 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.

Friday at Noon

WCVE 23.1

(Richmond)—Sunday at 9 a.m.

WHTJ 41.1

(Charlottesville)—Sunday at 9 a.m.

WVPT

(Harrisonburg)—Tuesday at 5 p.m.

WHRO-World

(Norfolk)—Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Norfolk’s Neighborhood Network

, TV-48—Sunday through Tuesday,

12 noon

Wednesday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m.

Weekly show information is on Facebook—

THIS WEEK IN RICHMOND

All shows are archived here:

http://blueridgepbs.org/index.php/videos/local-productions/this-week-in-richmond

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