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Overview of the Western Planner Magazine
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The Origins of the Western Planner
The Legends of the Western Planner
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  Our traditions are tied to the time when The Western Planner was first produced in Powder River coal development era in Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas.  Since that time, legends have surfaced including:

            Lester, Karen B. Smith, and, Sheldon Gerber. 

These legends are remembered at annual conferences.
  When Western Planners got together, they often shared humorous stories in misadventures that they experienced on the job.  It was from these humorous stories in 1981 that the managing editors of The Western Planner created the publication's icon, "Lester, The Western Planner"..  Hailing from the Bronx, Lester graduated in planning and found his way West, struggled to find a job and then acceptance, and found himself caught up in every possible awkward planning situation.
 
Lester
  As the President of the Colorado APA Chapter, in the summer of 1981, Karen Smith established an affiliation with The Western Planner and took a place on the Editorial Board.  During her tenure on the Board, she also served on the national Board of Directors of the American Planning Association.

Karen served as Planning Director for Aspen, Colorado, and a private consultant during the time on the Board. She was recognized for her skills and commitment to being environmentally sensitive while planning in rural and small communities.  In the summer of 1984 Karen lost her life in an automobile accident. Her memory lives on...
   
Karen B. Smith
   
Sheldon Gerber was elected President of the Idaho Planning Association in 1987 and assumed a position on The Western Planner Editorial Board in January of that year.  Sheldon's commitment to The Western Planner movement was recognized by all concerned and he served continuously until he died of cancer in 1991, including a stint as Secretary of Western Planning Resources Inc.

Presented each year at the Western Planner Conference, the "Sheldon D. Gerber Special Merit Award for Excellence in Environmental Planning" was instituted in 1991 to honor the memory of Sheldon for his widely recognized achievements in environmental planning in the Boise and Ada County, Idaho. Recipients of the award are to be individuals striving to improve our environment and protect our natural world.
Sheldon Gerber
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