Gary Cummins is originally from Crow Agency, Montana. Growing up all over the country in an Air Force family, Gary considered Montana home base. As a teenager, he worked on ranches every summer. During college in Montana and Ohio, he worked as a high-altitude test subject in the Air Force Aerospace Medicine Center, including work with astronauts on the early stages of Project Mercury. In 1965, Cummins returned to the University of Montana and completed his bachelors in history, then began graduate study in history. Cummins worked as a seasonal park ranger in Glacier NP and Padre Island NS until 1967. In the next few years, Gary worked with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He met and married Diana Vera of Corpus Christi, TX in 1968.

After leaving the DIA, Gary worked at New Mexico State University and the University of Hawaii. Gary also worked for Hawaii State Parks as a survey historian, ultimately becoming the director of their statewide cultural resources survey and inventory. Later, Cummins did graduate study in anthropology and archaeology at the University of Arizona (completed in 1978), after which he worked as an archaeologist at the NPS Denver Service Center. In 1980, Cummins was appointed superintendent of the newly-designated U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, developing the underwater archeology and interpretive programs. Subsequently, Cummins served as superintendent at Cabrillo NM and Petrified Forest NP, as deputy superintendent of Grand Canyon, and finally as manager of Harpers Ferry Center, from which position he retired in 2005. Diane and Gary, parents of three sons, now live in Washington State. In addition to serving on the Executive Council of the CNPSR, Gary also serves on Fort Worden State Park (WA) Advisory Board. Among other hobbies, Gary is a member of the Pacific Northwest Wood Artisans in Port Angeles and the Northwest Wood Carvers Association in Seattle. Gary's term expires 12/31/12. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .