From: ^Commissioner Broadcast
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 5:28 PM
To: Undisclosed recipients
Subject: COMMISSIONER’S BROADCAST--06/22/11
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 5:28 PM
To: Undisclosed recipients
Subject: COMMISSIONER’S BROADCAST--06/22/11
A Message To All SSA And DDS Employees
Subject: The Passing of Mark Lassiter
It continues to be a tough week as we deal with the sudden loss of our Press Officer, Mark Lassiter, who passed away on Monday, June 20 at the age of 57.
Mark began his career with Social Security in 1976 as a claims representative in the Portsmouth, Virginia field office, near his childhood home of Hampton. Over his 35 years with the agency, Mark’s talent and ability enabled him to rise through the ranks, assuming jobs of increasing responsibility in the Philadelphia Region, including five years as the District Manager in Petersburg, Virginia. Mark’s distinguished career brought him to Social Security Headquarters twice – working in the Office of the Commissioner from 1992 to 1995 and in the Press Office from 2003 until his death.
Mark’s untimely passing reminds us of just how precious life is. He spent Father’s Day weekend with those he loved most – Nancy, his wife of 35 years; his son Tyler and his daughter Brooke, who is also an ODAR employee. Please keep them in your prayers as they join with family and friends for a memorial service in Hampton tomorrow. At the request of his family, memorial contributions in Mark’s honor may be made to the American Heart Association , P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, Va. 23058.
Michael J. Astrue
Commissioner
The Baltimore Sun also has a piece on Lassiter's death.
7 comments:
It's sad that this man died, of course...but in the field we have to roll our eyes when the commissioner sends an email to everyone about this executive that no one knows. What about the lowly service rep who toils for years serving the public and dies young? We never hear a peep about anyone like that.
Yes, I'm sure this means little to folks in the field. But remember, the COSS doesn't/can't know everyone out there personally. He most assuredly does know the Press Officer, someone he is likely to see and deal with regularly. This had to really hurt on a personal level. Mark was a very solid citizen and he'll be missed.
Anon 7:12--This was not just some obscure executive that no one in the field knows. Mark worked directly with all the Regional Communication Directors, as well as all the Public Affairs Specialists across the country. He also had a very close relationship with the COSS. Many employees in the agency are mourning his death. I think it was very appropriate for the COSS to acknowledge it.
Anon 7:12-- No, those of us in the field are not rolling our eyes. Get a grip.
Just saying: Co-worker and friend of the COSS, personal agency-wide email. Regular employee...nothing. Well, maybe a periodic generic email thanking the nameless and faceless for their service.
Get a grip, 5:46. A lot of us worked with Mark over the years, and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone with a bad word to say about him. He touched a lot of lives.
Nothing against the little old ladies who've been toiling away in a field office their whole lives, but few people outside of their offices would know who they are.
Nothing against Mr. Lassiter, but most of us didn't care enough to bother rolling our eyes. Deleted and moved on.
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