President Biden to appoint 12 people to Route 66 Centennial Commission

President Joe Biden announced his intent today to appoint 12 people to the Route 66 Centennial Commission.

The list contains several people that many in the Route 66 community would know well.

Here they are, with short descriptions of each individual, though more extensive biographies can be found in the White House announcement:

• Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California
• Danielle E. Blackshear, a transportation specialist with the Federal Highway Administration Office of Human Environment
• Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, director of the Illinois State Museum in Springfield and Route 66 researcher
• Mark V. Falzone, president of Scenic America
• Tim J. Gatz, director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation
• Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism
• Dale A. Oglesby, recent former mayor of Galena, Kansas, for 25 years
• Rod Reid, co-owner of Shepherd Hills Factory Outlets on Route 66 in Lebanon, Missouri
• Jen Paul Schroer, New Mexico Tourism Secretary
• William M. Thomas, chairman of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership
• Michael Wallis, author of the bestselling “Route 66: The Mother Road” and co-founder of the Route 66 Alliance
• Richard Ware, chairman of Amarillo National Bank and former chair of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce

The White House stated:

The Route 66 Centennial Commission was established by Congress to study and recommend in a report to Congress activities that would be fitting and proper to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Mother Road of the United States, Route 66, in 2026. The Commission shall study activities that may be carried out by the Federal Government to honor Route 66, including potential ceremonies and celebrations, the production and publication of media or other materials, and the issuance of commemorative items.

The appointments should become official within a few weeks.

The previous president, Donald Trump, signed the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act into law two years ago.

The commission will study and recommend in a report to Congress activities that would be “fitting and proper” to celebrate the anniversary “in a manner that appropriately honors the Mother Road of the United States,” according to the bill.

Centennial activities include:

• The issuance of commemorative coins, medals, certificates of recognition and postage stamps;
• Ceremonies and celebrations commemorating specific events;
• The production, publication, and distribution of books, pamphlets, films, electronic publications and other educational materials.

(Image of the White House in Washington, D.C., by Thomas Hawk via Flickr)