George Bristol, Texas Coalition for Conservation director, calls Dabney one of those unsung heroes who made the tenet that parks are America’s best idea a reality at the state and local level. During tough times for parks, Walt’s commitment, plus the support of thousands of citizens, helped make the case for increased funding for state and local parks. A 1969 Texas A&M graduate, Dabney took the reins of TPWD’s State Parks Division after 30 years with the National Park Service. At the helm of Texas State Parks, he was instrumental in working with constituent groups and the Legislature to transform a park system suffering from worn-out equipment, deteriorating facilities, and sagging employee morale into a better-funded, more professional, customer-oriented, and technologically savvy operation. Dabney worked with state parks support groups such as the Texas Coalition for Conservation and Texans for State Parks to help articulate park needs and opportunities, including highlighting university research reported in 2005, which showed state spending on parks generated roughly $800 million in retail sales and accounted for almost 12,000 jobs.