Dan Rowe – Keeping the Park Service Hat

BY VAL SCHOGER; PHOTOS BY VAL SCHOGER

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What’s In Your Closet?

Closets hold heirlooms, closets hold secrets, and closets
hold treasures, dreams, and hopes.

We were not after dirty laundry when we asked local residents the question: “What’s in your closet?” The question quickly became a wonderful way to learn more about a person’s life and bits and pieces about their past, the paths they have taken, the lessons they have learned and the plans they had. Have a peek into local personalities’ homes and lives as they open their closets and share anecdotes and stories with us while showing off the items that have emotions attached, items that they will never part with and items that will always be vivid reminders of what once was and still is special. [/box]

Dan Rowe, the Executive Director of Bay County’s Tourist Development Council and the President and CEO of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, oversees all county activities promoting tourism. With his new role in Bay County, in 2007 he relocated from Georgia and now lives with his wife close to downtown Panama City.

The Rowe’s home is a beautifully kept and preserved house that was built in 1928.Despite all the charm and idiosyncrasies that Dan Rowe points out, the house features only small closets.When he opens up his closet, business attire and other clothing do not leave a lot of room for much else. However, there is a large round box that occupies a lot of space.As he pulls it out and opens it, his eyes light up with pride.

“This is my father’s Park Service hat. He worked in park service for 30 years. He died in 1982 and I always remember him wearing his hat.”

Dan Rowe’s father worked in different parks all around the country: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina where he last worked along Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville.

“He met my mother at Crater Lake, Oregon.I was born in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and lived in national parks until I was 10 years old.At that age, when we first moved into a neighborhood, it was quite different and unknown to me.”

For his job, Dan Rowe brings with him an entire life of experience. “I was basically involved with the tourism and park service business all my life. I grew up around Park Service people and it was neat to see my father in uniform.It made a big impression on me.I have been involved in the tourism industry since I was born.”

In his job now, while the principles remain the same, his tasks are much more involved.He states, “When I graduated from college, it was not easy to find a job in park services and I was more interested in assuming a leadership role.” And that he does.

[author image=”https://www.panamacityliving.com/media/2013/08/Val.jpg” ]Val studied communications and marketing in Germany and holds a marketing degree. She had a corporate career and has worked for nine years in media, PR and marketing internationally in Germany, England, the Caribbean and the United States. During an extended sailboat cruise n 2003, she traveled to the Gulf Coast and subsequently to Navarre, Florida and was immediately smitten with Northwest Florida. She started her first business in 2004 in Fort Walton Beach and as of July 2013, she became the sole owner and publisher of Panama City Living Magazine. She obtained her Merchant Mariner Credential (Captain’s License) right here in Panama City at SeaSchool and enjoys being on the water when she finds the time. [/author]