Entry bubble There's Something About Mary

By: Nancy | December 18, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

As Carole King was hitting the charts in 1971 singing "You're so far away...doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?" Mary Levy, decked out in a proper pair of white gloves and eager to change the world, began her life of public service.



Nothing wrong with starting at the top. So Mary did just that, investing the first two years of her career at the White House's Office of Consumer Affairs. And as she answered consumer complaint letters from all over the country, Mary discovered her calling: to help people get the government consumer information they need to make their lives better.

In 1973, that calling led Mary to the brand new Consumer Information Center (now the Federal Citizen Information Center, home of Gov Gab and part of the General Service Administration's Office of Citizen Services and Communications). Mary quickly rose in leadership at FCIC and for the last 36 years, she's proven that a lot can be accomplished by staying in one place.

Mary oversees relationships between FCIC and dozens of federal agencies to create government consumer publications. Under her developmental leadership, FCIC has distributed hundreds of millions of copies of print consumer publications, as well as online information, on topics like avoiding scams, saving and investing money, finding good health care, and getting a higher education. And through the public service advertising program that Mary oversees, media outlets have donated hundreds of millions of dollars in free ad space to let people know about pueblo.gsa.gov, USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov.

Mary's penchant for perfection is legendary (you know those English majors). Every edition of the Consumer Action Handbook and the Consumer Information Catalog, every news release and every Gov Gab entry has passed under her red pen. Everything...except today's blog entry, and everything that will come after it.

Tomorrow, Mary retires.

It's a blessing to be able to step into the next phase of your life in good health and with lots to look forward to. And with travel plans, involvement with church and family, and a garden in the DC suburbs begging for her attention, Mary has an awful lot to look forward to. Mary LevyBut you know, you can't stop a consumer education pioneer from pursuing her passion any more than you can stop a shopaholic from charging. So I don't think it'll be long until Mary finds a new venue for sharing her wisdom.

Staying in one place for so many years makes it hard to say goodbye, though. And as I've been watching Mary close out a career she cherishes in a place and with people she loves, I'm learning a lot about grace this week. And I'm feeling awfully grateful to work where we're not the stereotypical "faceless bureaucrats." I'm thankful for the relationships and for the mission to serve people that we all share here.

Congratulations, Mary. We'll miss you. And it's good to know that you won't be so far away...

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