“USGS Retirees” is an organization of retirees, and their partners, founded in 1973 by USGS Water Resources Division retirees, now open to all USGS retirees.

Membership is also open to current USGS employees (affiliate members) and persons having a long-standing relationship with the USGS.

USGS Retirees is run by retirees, who volunteer their time and talent to help members stay in touch with each other and the USGS community. A quarterly Newsletter, an annual directory, a biannual Reunion, State-based meetups, and virtual meetings on topics of interest to retirees are all venues and mechanisms we use to stay connected.

A cornerstone of the USGS Retirees is an annual Scholarship Program for USGS hydrologic technicians and hydrologists. The purpose of these scholarships is to promote an upward mobility path to USGS Technicians and Hydrologists by providing tuition grants for additional academic advancement. As of February 2025, more than $98,397 has been provided to 56 awardees since the program’s inception.

The USGS Retirees is governed by a Constitution and Bylaws. The activities of the organization are overseen by a Board, comprised of its Officers, Regional Representatives, and Newsletter Editor. State Representatives (Retirees) and State Liasons (current USGS employees) serve as focal points across the country to increase connections of the organization’s activities at the local level.

Additional information on all of the above activities is included on this Website. Please take a look. We very much welcome you to join any, or all, of these efforts.

President: Robert Mason

Vice President: Phil Turnipseed

Secretary: Kate Flynn

Treasurer: Cathy Hill

Archivist: Herbert (Herb) Freiberger

HydroTech Members Advocate: Owen Baynham

Past President: Bill Carswell

Northeast: Barb Ryan

Southeast: Edward H. (Ed) Martin

Central: Bob Swanson

Western: Sandy Williamson

Updated version available by mid April.

Updated version available by mid April.

National Editor: Jeff Stoner

Assistant National Editor: Joanne Taylor

Debbie McLean (NR)

John Clarke (SR)

Kathy Wilson (CR)

Matt Larsen (WR)

In the 1990’s  the George Ferguson Service Award was created to honor individuals for their service to the organization.

George Ferguson was born in April 1906.  He enjoyed a 44-year career with USGS, working in Ohio, Hawaii, Texas, Florida, and the DC area.  He was Northeast Regional Hydrologist when he retired in 1972.  In 1973, he chaired a work group of 8 retirees who went to Chief Hydrologist, Roy Hendricks, with a proposal to create the WRD Retirees organization.  Hendricks agreed to the proposal.  From 1973 through 1975 the work group ran the new organization, with George Ferguson serving as the ad-hoc first president.  George also began the first newsletter in November 1973. It was two pages on one sheet of paper.

The first elected President, Roy Hendricks, was elected in late 1975 to serve a two-year term beginning in 1976.  But George wasn’t through - he served as newsletter editor until 1987.

After that, he regularly attended the meetings of the Reston chapter of WRD Retirees.  During the April 2008 meeting the Reston chapter held a party to celebrate his 102nd birthday.  He was alert and enjoyed the company of many friends.  He died in his sleep a month later.  He was a true gentleman and richly deserves the Service Award to be named after him.

GEORGE FERGUSON AWARDEES

1990s:  George Ferguson, Sumner Heidel and Bob Beall

2002:  Bill Schneider, Porter Ward, and C. T. Welborn

2006:  Bill Boning, Jack Pickering, and Loren Young

2010:  Jim Biesecker, Jim Blakey, and John Musser

2018:  Merilee Bennett, Tom Yorke and Andy Anderson

2023:  Herb Freiburger, Kate Flynn, Gary Garrett, and Dick Engberg