GUEST SPEAKER

MIKE CLARK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PALATINE PARK DISTRICT

Mike is the Executive Director of the Palatine Park District serving the community for the past eleven years and will be retiring at the end of this year. He has been an active park and recreation professional for nearly 36 years and prior to coming to Palatine Mike was the Executive Director of the Batavia Park District the previous twelve years. Mike has been a life-long volunteer as well, coaching his three sons through years of sports and athletics. He has been a community volunteer through Rotary, park district, and park foundation events and activities and being active in various fundraising efforts.

The majority of Mike’s volunteer commitment has been through various state and national professional associations. Mike has served on various boards and committees at the state level which included serving as President of the Illinois Park and Recreation Association in 2001 and also served as Chair for ten years with the Illinois Park and Recreation Foundation where he led this group to raising over $800,000 to assist in the growth and development of young professionals and sponsoring individuals towards a professional life of continuing education.

Mike’s volunteer spirit also led to him to serve on the Illinois Joint Distinguished Park and Recreation Accreditation Committee for 20 years including Chairing this Committee twice and also as the longest serving Chair of the Mentor Program. Mike has been honored for his efforts of volunteering over the years including the IPRA Fellow Award, IPRA Professional of the Year Award, Illinois Park and Recreation Foundation Chairman’s Award and most recently the Robert Artz Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also been a long-standing volunteer at the national level through the National Recreation and Park Association as well as the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. He was inducted into the Academy in 2015. Mike served as Chair of the American Park and Recreation Society and two time Chair of the American Academy Mentorship Program. He has been honored with various Meritorious Service awards at the national level and has presented at numerous local, regional, state and national conferences and workshops sharing his experiences of industry trends and best practices. Please join me in welcoming our Executive Director, Michael Clark.