Falls Church honors distinguished career of Howard Herman

In his 40-year career with the City of Falls Church, Howard E. Herman transformed from a high-schooler cleaning the gym floors to a respected public servant whose mark on city life will last long after his retirement earlier this month.  

Herman’s distinguished career was honored by the City of Falls Church at a celebration held at the Community Center April 10, a day proclaimed by the City to be Howard E. Herman Day.

Family, friends, colleagues and community supporters came out to the event to share memories and thank a man they described as a great role model, manager and community-builder.

“To me, Howard Herman represents the best of Falls Church,” said Paul Eskildsen, Herman’s longtime friend who spoke at the program.

Eskildsen and Herman grew up together in the City of Falls Church. They played basketball and worked side-by-side at the Community Center, cleaning up after events such as dances held in the gym.

Herman turned this part-time work during his high school years into a full-time career. He eventually became Assistant Director of the Recreation and Parks Department and then was appointed Director in 1990. In 2007, he was named General Manager of Community Services and took on the supervision of the Department of Housing and Human Services, the Mary Riley Styles Public Library and the Court Services Division, as well as the Recreation and Parks Division. 

Colleagues who spoke at the program lauded Herman’s dedication to his work and described events that required him to go above and beyond the call of duty.

On one such occasion, Herman found himself lighting fireworks for the Fourth of July celebration after the hired professionals failed to show.

Believing the show must go on, Herman said he followed a simple technique to light the fireworks as safely as possible: “Light and run, or light, run and roll.”  

Herman’s dedication to the city appeared in the many projects he took on to expand and improve city services. These included the growth of holiday festivals and special events, the start of an adult sports program, the increase in the quality and quantity of city athletic fields and the renovation of the Falls Church Community Center.

Herman is also credited with launching the Farmers Market, which has been recognized nationally as “America’s Favorite.”

Mayor Nader Baroukh said it was at a Saturday morning Farmer’s Market, soon after he moved to the city, that he first met Herman.

“He made me feel as if I was part of this community,” Baroukh said, adding that Herman will always be part of the city’s extended family.

Herman’s other large contribution to the community came through his love for basketball. He coached hundreds of children while serving as a volunteer coach for more than 10 years in the Recreation and Parks basketball program and as a coach for the teams his children played on at George Mason High School.

Memorabilia displayed at the event included photographs of the many basketball teams he coached over the years. And a special cake, decorated with a basketball and court, paid tribute to his love for the game.

Through the well-attended program, which included tributes by the Virginia General Assembly, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and the City of Falls Church, it became clear that Herman touched many lives in his career, and his legacy will continue to influence Falls Church citizens.

As City Manager Wyatt Shields said, “We’re celebrating Howard’s career, but when you look across this crowd and see everybody that’s here, it’s clear that what we should really celebrate is how Howard built community here, and how Howard brought everybody to be part of this team,” he said.