USGS

Carl Mortensen's Retirement Celebration

January 25, 2002, Ming's, Palo Alto, California

Photo, NCER bench mark
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.

Photo, Carl
Carl Mortensen (image # 0201Q-02)

Photo, Lynn
Lynn Mortensen (image # 0201Q-30)

Photo, Amber
Amber Mortensen (image # 0201Q-17)

Obtaining Prints

Reprints are available for any of these photographs. I can email you digital high-resolution versions that you can print or have printed for you; these range in file-size from half a megabyte to 2 megs each. I use Phototime where I can send images using the Internet and they cost $0.55 each. Use the catalog numbers to order. Catalog numbers are listed in the captions. If you would like the entire 300-MB collection on a CD-ROM, I can make you one. Contact Michael Diggles to place your request. The photos with catalog numbers starting with"D" are 2.1 megapixels; the photos with numbers starting with 0201 are 6.0 megapixels.

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.


Photo, Ming's restaurant sign
Ming's in Palo Alto (image # 0201Q-32)

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

Photo, Jane
Jane Ceiner (image # 0201N-01)

Photo, Bonnie
Bonnie Murchey (image # 0201N-03)

Photo, Carl
Carl Mortensen (image # 0201N-04)

Photo, Amber
Amber Mortensen (image # 0201N-07)

Photo, Bill
Bill Bakun (image # 0201N-11)

Photo, Carl
Carl Wentworth (image # 0201N-12)

Photo, Terry
Terry Keith (image # 0201N-13)

Photo, Dave
Dave Hill (image # 0201N-14)

Photo, Bill
Bill Ellsworth (image # 0201N-15)

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

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

Photo, Doc
Doc Bonilla (image # 0201N-19)

Photo, Jon
Jon Price (image # 0201N-33)

Photo, Beth
Beth Price (image # 0201N-20)

Photo, Wayne
Wayne Thatcher (image # 0201N-21)

Photo, Michael
Michael Burns (image # 0201N-22)

Photo, Steve
Steve Walter (image # 0201N-23)

Photo, Will
Will Prescott (image # 0201N-24)

Photo, Pat
Pat McCrory (image # 0201N-25)

Photo, Al
Al Lyndh (image # 0201N-26)

Photo, Mike
Mike Bennett (image # 0201N-27)

Photo, John
John Tinsley (image # 0201N-28)

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

Photo, Jim
Jim Davis (image # 0201N-08)

Photo, Sally
Sally Davis (image # 0201N-31)

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

Photo, Andrea
Andrea Alpine (image # 0201N-35)

Photo, gifts on table
Gift collection (image # 0201P-01)

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

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

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

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

Photo, guests at tables
Crowd scene (image # 0201P-08)

Photo, Jim
Jim Davis (image # 0201P-11)

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

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

Photo, Patti
Patti Sutch (image # 0201P-15)

Photo, certificate
WSSPC certificate (image # 0201P-17)

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

Photo, James
James Buika (image # 0201P-19)

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

Photo, Bob
Bob Page (image # 0201P-23)

Photo, Will
Will Prescott (image # 0201P-26)

Photo, Mitch
Mitch Pitt (image # 0201P-28)

Photo, Mary Lou
Mary Lou Zoback (image # 0201P-29)

Photo, Carl
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)

Photo, Tom
Tom Holzer (image # 0201P-32)

Photo, Tom and Carl
Tom and Carl (image # 0201P-33)

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

Photo, benchmark
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)

Photo, of inscription that reads Carl E Mortensen, in recognition of 32 years of earthquake hazards assessment and scientific management for the U.S. Geological Survey, 1970-2002
Detail of the inscription (image # 0201Q-06)

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

Photo, Sue
Sue Hunt (image # 0201Q-09)

Photo, Carl and Sue
Carl and Sue (image # 0201Q-08)

Photo, Bob and Terry
Bob and Terry (image # 0201Q-10)

Photo, John
John Evans (image # 0201Q-11)

Photo, Stan
Stan Silverman (image # 0201Q-12)

Photo, Vince
Vince Keller (image # 0201Q-13)

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

Photo, Bob
Bob Mueller (image # 0201Q-15)

Photo, Woody
Woody Savage (image # 0201Q-16)

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

Photo, Doug
Doug Myren (image # 0201Q-19)

Photo, Joe
Joe Svitek (image # 0201Q-20)

Photo, Guest book
Guest book (image # 0201Q-21)

Photo, Carl and Amber
Dad and daughter (image # 0201Q-22)

Photo, Carl
Carl Mortensen (image # 0201Q-23)

Photo, Amber
Amber Mortensen (image # 0201Q-25)

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

Photo, D020125_0257
(image # D020125_0257)

Photo, D020125_0261
(image # D020125_0261)

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

Photo, D020125_0266
(image # D020125_0266)

Photo, D020125_0267
(image # D020125_0267)

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

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

Photo, D020125_0285
(image # D020125_0285)

Photo, D020125_0286
(image # D020125_0286)

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

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

Photo, Jon
Jon Price giving an award (image # D020125_0292)

Photo, unwrapping gift
What can it be? (image # D020125_0301)

Photo, toolbox
A Home Depot toolbox (image # D020125_0302)

Photo, view of outside of Ming's restaurant
Ming's was a great place to host this event (image # 0201Q-31)



The URL of this page is http://www.diggles.com/cmortensen/index.html
Date created: 02/28/2002
Last modified: 3/7/2006

Web page by: Michael Diggles, Geologist

U.S. Geological Survey, MS-951, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025. (650) 329-5404. email Mike (mdiggles@usgs.gov)