ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603120097
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER PULASKI
Lane R. Penn, a Pulaski native who came back home after working in New York and California, became the newest Pulaski Town Council member Tuesday.
At six-foot-eight, he is also the tallest.
Council's Human Resources Committee recommended Penn to complete the two years left in the term of John Stone. Stone resigned last month because of increased job obligations.
The committee recommendation was unanimously accepted by council, and Pulaski County Clerk Woody Lookabill administered the oath of office shortly after the vote. Penn then joined the rest of council in a closed Human Resources Committee session to discuss personnel.
Penn graduated from the Christiansburg Institute and Bluefield State College, where he studied mechanical drafting and electronics. He served with the U.S. Army paratroopers from 1956 to 1959.
He organized Penn Construction in Jamaica, Queens, N.Y., in 1961 which performed remodeling work until 1975.
He also worked at night at Kennedy International Airport for the New York and New Jersey Port Authority from 1961 to 1975 as a terminal services supervisor, maintenance man and baggage handler, doing all three jobs at the same time. He supervised up to 240 employees in handling complaints, passenger services, baggage handling and sanitation duties.
Then he moved across the country to Merced, Calif., where he was a building inspector from 1975 to 1979. He became chief building inspector for Turlock, Calif., in 1979 until his retirement three years ago. He also served as a planning commissioner for Merced, making sure new structures complied with city parking, grounds, design and aesthetic guidelines.
When he retired in 1993, he returned to Pulaski. He now works as a construction inspector at New River Community College on a contract basis.
While in California, he coached the girls' basketball team for California State University at Stanislaus, served as president of the Lions International Club at Turlock where he was active in fund-raising and community relations projects, and served on several community, athletic and university boards.
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