Carl Mortensen's Retirement Celebration

NCER bench mark (image # D020125_0307)

On Friday, January 25, 2002, we had a retirement celebration for Carl Mortensen, our Associate Western Regional Geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey. Carl was particularly honored by representatives of the many Federal, State and local governments with whom he has worked so quietly and effectively over the years. California State Geologist Jim Davis and his wife Sally were there, as were Nevada State Geologist Jon Price and wife Beth, California State Office of Emergency Services Director Rich Eisner, Jim Buika of FEMA's Region IX, Patti Sutch of the Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC), and a plaque from Colleen Bell of the City of Oakland commemorating the Project Impact work Carl has done there. As many of these people pointed out in their remarks, when they needed a gateway to the mysterious labyrinth of USGS organization and politics, Carl was the person they would turn to for information, direction advice, and help - and always got it. Bottom line: Carl Mortensen is a hard act to follow.

P.S. Carl's retirement plans feature the remodeling of his kitchen - the consensus of the crowd was that he and Lynn have to use all the plaques he received as decor items!

-- Cynthia Ramseyer

Carl has been with USGS for 32 years. Here is a collection of photos taken by Mike Diggles and Bob Bynum.

Carl Mortensen (image # 0201Q-02)

Lynn Mortensen (image # 0201Q-30)

Amber Mortensen (image # 0201Q-17)

Obtaining Prints

The photographs with numbers starting with"D" were taken with a Canon Elph S300 digital camera by Bob Bynum; the rest were taken with a Nikon F4 with a 35-135/f3.5-4.5 AF Nikkor zoom lens and Kodak Supra 400 professional photojournalism color-negative film by Mike Diggles.

Ming's in Palo Alto (image # 0201Q-32)

Jerry Consul, Gretchen Luepke Bynum, and Bob Bynum (image # 0201N-00)

Jane Ceiner (image # 0201N-01)

Bonnie Murchey (image # 0201N-03)

Carl Mortensen (image # 0201N-04)

Amber Mortensen (image # 0201N-07)

Bill Bakun (image # 0201N-11)

Carl Wentworth (image # 0201N-12)

Terry Keith (image # 0201N-13)

Dave Hill (image # 0201N-14)

Bill Ellsworth (image # 0201N-15)

Sue Hunt and Brian Cole (image # 0201N-16)

Al Mikuni, Patrick Muffler, Andrea Alpine (image # 0201N-17)

Doc Bonilla (image # 0201N-19)

Jon Price (image # 0201N-33)

Beth Price (image # 0201N-20)

Wayne Thatcher (image # 0201N-21)

Michael Burns (image # 0201N-22)

Steve Walter (image # 0201N-23)

Will Prescott (image # 0201N-24)

Pat McCrory (image # 0201N-25)

Al Lyndh (image # 0201N-26)

Mike Bennett (image # 0201N-27)

John Tinsley (image # 0201N-28)

Jim and Sally Davis (image # 0201N-30)

Jim Davis (image # 0201N-08)

Sally Davis (image # 0201N-31)

Jon Price and James Buika (image # 0201N-34)

Andrea Alpine (image # 0201N-35)

Gift collection (image # 0201P-01)

WSSPC certificate presented by Patti Sutch (image # 0201P-02)

Cynthia Ramseyer, who made it all happen. She's also the Acting Acting Acting Western Regional Geologist (image # 0201P-03.jpg )

Janice Murphy and Jerry Consul (image # 0201P-06)

Patrick Muffler, who MC'ed this affair (image # 0201P-07)

Crowd scene (image # 0201P-08)

Jim Davis (image # 0201P-11)

Jim Davis is the California State Geologist (image # 0201P-12)

Rick Eisner (image # 0201P-14.jpg )

Patti Sutch (image # 0201P-15)

WSSPC certificate (image # 0201P-17)

Dumortierite in shape of the State of Nevada. Jon Price said it is Carl's"Passport" to get into the State. (image # 0201P-18)

James Buika (image # 0201P-19)

James Buika and Carl Mortensen (image # 0201P-20)

Bob Page (image # 0201P-23)

Will Prescott (image # 0201P-26)

Mitch Pitt (image # 0201P-28)

Mary Lou Zoback (image # 0201P-29)

Carl with his NCER bench mark. The National Center for Earthquake Research changed its name many hears ago. This may be one of the last NCER benchmarks left in captivity. Cynthia Ramseyer's husband, Terry made constructed this gift (image # 0201P-31)

Tom Holzer (image # 0201P-32)

Tom and Carl (image # 0201P-33)

Carl unwrapping his Home Depot tool box (image # 0201P-37)

USGS benchmark, presented on behalf of Pat Leahy, the Chief Geologist (now called something like the Associate Director for Geology or something like that) (image # 0201Q-05)

Detail of the inscription (image # 0201Q-06)

We got a kick out of the fact that the NCER benchmark is larger in diameter than the USGS benchmark (image # 0201Q-07)

Sue Hunt (image # 0201Q-09)

Carl and Sue (image # 0201Q-08)

Bob and Terry (image # 0201Q-10)

John Evans (image # 0201Q-11)

Stan Silverman (image # 0201Q-12)

Vince Keller (image # 0201Q-13)

Doug Myren and Bob Mueller (image # 0201Q-14)

Bob Mueller (image # 0201Q-15)

Woody Savage (image # 0201Q-16)

Pat and Patrick Muffler (image # 0201Q-18)

Doug Myren (image # 0201Q-19)

Joe Svitek (image # 0201Q-20)

Guest book (image # 0201Q-21)

Dad and daughter (image # 0201Q-22)

Carl Mortensen (image # 0201Q-23)

Amber Mortensen (image # 0201Q-25)

Woody Savage and Carl (image # 0201Q-27)

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(image # D020125_0261)

Al Mikuni, Andrea Alpine, and Ross Stein (image # D020125_0264)

(image # D020125_0266)

(image # D020125_0267)

Rick Eisner, Michael Burns, and Patti Sutch (image # D020125_0272)

Patti Sutch, Mike Diggles, and Jim Davis (image # D020125_0274)

(image # D020125_0285)

(image # D020125_0286)

Ann E. Gartner got a kick out of this conversation (image # D020125_0288)

Cynthia Ramseyer, Steve Walter, and Manny Nathenson (image # D020125_0289)

Jon Price giving an award (image # D020125_0292)

What can it be? (image # D020125_0301)

A Home Depot toolbox (image # D020125_0302)

Ming's was a great place to host this event (image # 0201Q-31)

Web page by: Michael Diggles, Geologist