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Mary Jaeger-Gale and Todd Morse
Since Mary began part-time in 1981 in public relations, she has held nearly every marketing position at the Park and was promoted to General Manager in 2007 when the Park was purchased by the state. Mary is credited for her highly effective and professional marketing plans, her commitment to guests and her visionary leadership at the Park.
“Mary Jaeger-Gale is a consummate professional in her many years at Chimney Rock. She has also been an outstanding partner with the North Carolina state parks system as we have embarked on the unusual and, at times, challenging transition from a private attraction to a state-owned facility,” said Lewis Ledford, Director of North Carolina State Parks and Recreation. “She is extremely well-respected in North Carolina’s travel and tourism and hospitality industries and is always willing to provide advice and assistance to others in those fields. We have often referred to Chimney Rock as a tremendous natural icon. Mary is also a true icon and is a tremendous asset to the people of western North Carolina.”
Her Beginnings at Chimney Rock. A schoolteacher from Atlanta, Mary moved to Bat Cave, North Carolina, to live with her husband, Steve Gale. She soon fell in love with the mountains of Western North Carolina. Lu Morse, the Park’s owner and General Manager, asked Mary if she would do public relations for Chimney Rock. Though she claimed to know nothing about marketing, he suggested that she “try it” during her summer break. She hit the ground running and “rose to each and every challenge,” said Todd Morse.
“From the day Mary arrived and through our early days together,” Morse continued, “she utilized her great and contagious enthusiasm, relationship-building and networking skills and an interest and openness to learn from the successes of others to start taking our marketing program and the Park to new heights.”
“While I know the Morse name has traditionally been associated with Chimney Rock for more than 100 years, Mary is the one who helped literally put us on the map – her name and legacy arguably lives right alongside ours,” Morse said.
Article and photo submitted by:
Matt Popowski, PR & Events Coordinator Chimney Rock Management, LLC
