It is with mixed emotions and sincere gratitude for his service that we announce the retirement of Mark “Chief”  Marshall, GSRMA’s long time Safety Officer.

Mark joined GSRMA in December of 2002. At the time of his arrival, GSRMA had 52 member agencies, and upon his departure at the end of June we will stand at 310 agencies. Mark was instrumental not only in the recruitment of these members, but also setting the foundation of excellent service our member agencies come to expect of us today. Among our members, Mark is particularly revered amongst our cemetery community, having helped to recruit over 120 Public Cemeteries to GSRMA’s roster. Mark has received the California Association of Public Cemeteries Mel Lewis Award, as well as the Public Cemetery Alliances President’s Award, both prestigious honors. Mark currently sits on the PCA’s Board of Directors and has acted as Vendor Liaison to both the PCA and CAPC.

Never one to shy away from work, Mark has worked more than many would be able to in two lifetimes. Due to his vast experience, which included serving his country, 30 years in the fire service and 16 years as a County Supervisor, Mark’s life and work experience made him an excellent resource for our members and a perfect fit for GSRMA. Mark was responsible for developing and managing many of the programs and services of our Loss Prevention Department.  He is an excellent trainer and has provided trainings to tens-of-thousands of employees, including certifying over 1,000 people in CPR/AED/First Aid.

While we are saddened to see him retire, we know nobody deserves it more than him.   In his retirement, Mark plans on spending time with family and hunting wild game, two of his largest passions in life.  Please take a moment in this next month to reach out to Mark and let him know how his efforts have helped impact your agency.