Caretaker in Chief

A busy day at Mount Vernon might bring 6,000 or more guests onto the estate. Add to this some 400 employees and volunteers of all stripes necessary to the smooth operation, study, and upkeep of the site, and you have the functional approximation of a small town. But, come nightfall, the gates empty, leaving Mount Vernon in the trusted hands of its capable, round-the-clock caretakers.

The Leader

Joe Sliger sits at the top of the list of these dedicated employees on call. As Mount Vernon’s vice president for operations, he oversees a diverse team of employees whose job functions range from security to grounds work to housekeeping to carpentry. His team works tirelessly behind the scenes—and often before and after hours—to ensure that the estate runs smoothly, despite the wear-and-tear that comes with keeping a historic property open 365 days a year.

It’s no small task, but it’s a natural fit for Joe, who knows Mount Vernon more intimately than virtually anyone else. He arrived at the estate in 1981, taking a job in the paint shop right out of high school. After apprenticing there for four years—while he participated in significant projects like the 1982 restoration of the New Room—he expanded his skills, learning carpentry and technical trades.

By the early 1990s, Joe had become a key member of the operations and maintenance team. For more than two decades, he played a central role in Mount Vernon’s physical transformation—beginning with the construction of the Conservation Center and Volunteer Complex in 1998 and culminating in the grand opening of the Washington Library in 2013. Countless projects bear his imprint.