Fort Hays State grad inducted into Garden City High Hall of Fame

The Garden City High School Hall of Fame Committee has selected Melinda A. Hitz, local inductee, and Alan P. Stoecklein, out of town inductee, to be inducted into the Garden City High School Hall of Fame on Friday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m., in the Garden City High School Commons Area, 2720 Buffalo Way Blvd. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.

For more information on the ceremony, call Roy Cessna, Garden City Public Schools, at 620-805-7014.

Melinda A. Hitz is a 1975 graduate of Garden City High School. She received her associate’s degree from Garden City Community College and is a graduate with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree from Fort Hays State University in Business with an emphasis in Accounting. Mrs. Hitz is a Certified Public Accountant and is currently the Director of Finance for the City of Garden City. She has received numerous national awards for her job for the city. She has also given back to the community through her participation in many associations and organizations that she has served on in the state and community.

Alan P. Stoecklein is a 1973 graduate of Garden City High School. He graduated from Garden City Community College, received Kansas Police Officer certification from the Kansas Law Enforcement Center, and has a Certified Public Manager certificate from KU. He had a successful and tenured career in law enforcement working in Ulysses, Garden City and for the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP).

In the KHP, he was a Trooper, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Acting Colonel and was selected by Governor Parkinson to act as Interim Superintendent of the Patrol from December 2010 – February 2011 during transition of Governors. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel as Assistant Superintendent for the 800-member Agency from February 2011 to September 2014. He retired in 2014 after 34 years of dedicated service for the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Each year two distinguished graduates of Garden City High School are added to the Hall of Fame. To date 64 people have been inducted into the Garden City High School Hall of Fame.