HJ1: Commending James Carmon Stutts.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1
Commending James Carmon Stutts.

 

Agreed to by the House, January 17, 2022
Agreed to by the Senate, January 20, 2022

 

WHEREAS, the Virginia Recreation and Park Society was founded in 1953 and incorporated in 1956, with the purpose of uniting professionals, students, and interested citizens in the field of recreation, parks, and other leisure pursuits within the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (the Society) in 1981 employed James “Jim” Carmon Stutts as executive director of the nonprofit organization; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts served as a member of the Society until 2021, giving 40 years of dedicated and faithful service to the parks and recreation profession and helping the Society fulfill its mission to provide continuous training programs for members and improved recreation, parks, and leisure services for all Virginians; and

WHEREAS, when hired at the age of 24, Jim Stutts was the youngest chief executive officer of any professional association in the country; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts received an undergraduate degree in recreation, parks, and tourism from Radford University and a master’s degree in the same discipline from Brigham Young University; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts helped the Society’s Board of Trustees to grow the organization into a nationally recognized leader and advocate for the profession that provides a wide array of educational and training opportunities for its members; and

WHEREAS, under the leadership of Jim Stutts, the Society in 1983 established a foundation that supports the professional development of members and which has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships in just the past 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts provided the leadership required to expand professional development opportunities for members of the Society that include an annual conference, a Leadership Training Institute, a Management Conference, a Certified Playground Safety Inspector course, and Athletic Field Maintenance training; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts supported and helped grow the Virginia Senior Games into a nationally recognized program that promotes physical and social wellness for senior adults; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts has been instrumental in working on behalf of the Society with state officials on parks and recreation policy and budget issues, including support for the Virginia Senior Games; and

WHEREAS, the Society’s Board of Trustees recently voted unanimously to honor Jim Stutts by naming its highest award the James C. Stutts Fellows Award; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend James Carmon Stutts for his achievements in guiding the Virginia Recreation and Park Society for four decades; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to James Carmon Stutts as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude for his services to all Virginians who enjoy the Commonwealth’s parks and other manifold opportunities for outdoor recreation and leisure activities.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1

Offered January 12, 2022
Prefiled November 29, 2021
Commending James Carmon Stutts.
Patron-- Ware

WHEREAS, the Virginia Recreation and Park Society was founded in 1953 and incorporated in 1956, with the purpose of uniting professionals, students, and interested citizens in the field of recreation, parks, and other leisure pursuits within the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (the Society) in 1981 employed James “Jim” Carmon Stutts as executive director of the nonprofit organization; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts served as a member of the Society until 2021, giving 40 years of dedicated and faithful service to the parks and recreation profession and helping the Society fulfill its mission to provide continuous training programs for members and improved recreation, parks, and leisure services for all Virginians; and

WHEREAS, when hired at the age of 24, Jim Stutts was the youngest chief executive officer of any professional association in the country; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts received an undergraduate degree in recreation, parks, and tourism from Radford University and a master’s degree in the same discipline from Brigham Young University; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts helped the Society’s Board of Trustees to grow the organization into a nationally recognized leader and advocate for the profession that provides a wide array of educational and training opportunities for its members; and

WHEREAS, under the leadership of Jim Stutts, the Society in 1983 established a foundation that supports the professional development of members and which has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships in just the past 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts provided the leadership required to expand professional development opportunities for members of the Society that include an annual conference, a Leadership Training Institute, a Management Conference, a Certified Playground Safety Inspector course, and Athletic Field Maintenance training; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts supported and helped grow the Virginia Senior Games into a nationally recognized program that promotes physical and social wellness for senior adults; and

WHEREAS, Jim Stutts has been instrumental in working on behalf of the Society with state officials on parks and recreation policy and budget issues, including support for the Virginia Senior Games; and

WHEREAS, the Society’s Board of Trustees recently voted unanimously to honor Jim Stutts by naming its highest award the James C. Stutts Fellows Award; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend James Carmon Stutts for his achievements in guiding for four decades the Virginia Recreation and Park Society; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to James Carmon Stutts as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude for his services to all Virginians who enjoy the Commonwealth’s parks and other manifold opportunities for outdoor recreation and leisure activities.