Proven Results & Experience

2016 - Current | BREC Commission; Breckenridge, MN

Capital Campaign - Operation Plan, Operations Budget and Case Statement 

2016 | JLG Architects

Presentation on Multiple Revenue Sources – Elk River, MN Facility Planning Committee 
Presentation on Multiple Revenue Sources – Bottineau, ND Facility Planning Committee 

2014-2015 | Minot MAYSA Arena Expansion

Full Capital Campaign – A Success 

2015 | Watford City Outdoor Sports Fields

Campaign Readiness Study 

2013 & 2015 | Park River Comm.Park & Ice/Fitness Facility

Campaign Readiness Study -  Operation Plan, Operations Budget and Case Statement 

• University of Nebraska; Fund Raising Management Cert. | 2011
• University of North Dakota; Master of Arts, Public Administration | 1984
• Southern Illinois University; Bachelor of Science, Parks and Wildlife Management | 1972

• Member Spotlight of the Month, for February 2017, National Recreation & Park Association
• Recipient of Individual Citation Award, 2013, North Dakota
• Recreation and Parks Association Recipient of GOLDEN EGG Award, 2013, North Dakota Recreation and Parks Association 
• Recipient of STAR Award, 2012, Dakota Medical Foundation 
• Representative of the Grand Forks Park District in receipt of RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT Award, 2007, National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior 
• Representative of the Grand Forks Park District in receipt of GOLDEN EGG Award, 2001, North Dakota Recreation and Parks Association
• Outstanding Accomplishments in Forestry, 1988-1989, North Dakota Society of American Forester 

• Served as the President of the Northland Community & Technical College Foundation Board of Directors (Two terms) 
• Serves on the Board for the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, Northern Great Plains Chapter 
• Past Chairman of the National Urban Forestry Working Group, Society of American Foresters 
• Numerous presentations at national meetings of the National Recreation and Parks Association; American Forestry Association. The most recent: November 21, 2015 Healthy Partnerships: Creating a Community Health and Fitness Destination” Athletic Business Conference, and; October 9th, 2013, Building a Park and Recreation Foundation of Sustaining Donations. NRPA 
• Service on many local boards including Chairman, Greater Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau Board 
• Frequent contributor to a range of trade publications in forestry, and parks and recreation

2013 - Present  |  Lecturer, University Of North Dakota

Department of Political Science and Public Administration and Department of Entrepreneurship 

Courses included: Entrepreneurship Through Philanthropy (Graduate and Undergraduate); Facility and Event Planning (SPRT Program); Nonprofit Organization Management; American Government I; and Politics of Public Administration

2013 - Present  |  Lecturer, University Of North Dakota

Department of Political Science and Public Administration and Department of Entrepreneurship 

Courses included: Entrepreneurship Through Philanthropy (Graduate and Undergraduate); Facility and Event Planning (SPRT Program); Nonprofit Organization Management; American Government I; and Politics of Public Administration

1997 - 2013  |  Executive Director, Grand Forks Park District

• Answer to a five person citywide elected board representing a population of 50,000 
• Direct municipal agency responsible for 900 acres of park land per person; 4 ice arenas; 2 golf courses; 2200 acre Greenway

• Development of a $28 million health/fitness center; Municipal recreation program; citywide urban forestry program; and a community horticulture program 
• Partner with over 100 private and public entities in programming and finance 

1974 - 1997 | City Forester, Grand Forks Park District 

Supervised a professionally recognized urban forestry program 

• Formerly managed Grand Forks, ND, Park District, including District Operating Budget $13 million - 425 employees; Choice Health & Fitness Operating Budget $3. 8 million - 150 employees; and King’s Walk Golf Course Operating Budget $1.8 million; 20 employees - · Envisaged and directed rehabilitation and growth of the recreation district following catastrophic Grand Forks city flood of 1997, including creation of 2200 acre, multi-use Greenway; and a new golf courses and special use areas 

• Led the campaign resulting in a $24 million state-of-the-art community health and fitness center—CHOICE Health and Fitness Center—while honoring a commitment to no increase in property tax. The multi-use facility has been characterized by sitting federal legislators as a “national model” for community based preventive health care, opened September 2012 
     o Formed strong financial and programmatic alliances with community organizations and individuals 
     o Created a community parks and recreation Foundation as central to Development activities 
     o Preserved and strengthened co-funding of strategic partnership with sister organization, YMCA 

• Participated with local municipal and private leadership to attract major hotel and water park (CANADINN), elevating city’s status as regional destination for education, shopping and leisure 

• Led the development of a successful publicly owned Arnold Palmer-designed golf course (Kings Walk) funded entirely by user fees 

• Authored a successful federal grant proposal resulting in $1 million in funds directed to assistance of children in the city of Grand Forks adversely affected by the flood of 1997 

• Facilitated construction of a municipal Japanese Garden, a gift received through a sister city program with Awano, Japan 

• Guided organizational cultural change in a forty-person public organization from bureaucratic, to entrepreneurial and customer-focused 
     o Instituted a customer service organizational culture that includes ongoing training programs 
     o Rated by Knight Foundation-funded NV360 Community Assessment as most admired city service
     o Established an ongoing-customer satisfaction measurement process for programs and facilities 

• Created continuous middle-management training and problem solving programs 

• Revitalized youth recreation programming from traditional, to innovative-responsive in areas such as enhancing parent child relationships, health education, wellness practices 

• Organized a successful tax referendum to obtain permanent funding for urban forestry and horticulture programs 

• Implemented a successful community-wide Dutch elm disease program & a horticulture program throughout arterial streets and in major gardens 

2017 -  2023 | Spring Lecturer, University of North Dakota 

Event/ Facility Planning, Economics Department; and· American Government, Political Science Department 

2016  | Fall Lecturer, University of North Dakota

Political Science Department | Politics of Public Administration 

2016 |  Spring Lecturer, University of North Dakota

Political Science Department | American Government 

2015 | Fall Lecture, University of North Dakota

Political Science Department |  Non-Profit Management (Graduate) and Politics of Public Administration 

2015 | Spring Lecturer, University of North Dakota

Political Science Department | American Government 

2014 | Fall Lecture, University of North Dakota

Political Science Department |  Politics of Public Administration 

2014 | Spring Lecture, University of North Dakota

School of Business and Public Administration |  Entrepreneurship Through Philanthropy (Graduate);·Entrepreneurship Through Philanthropy (Undergraduate); and Politics of Public Administration 

2013 | Fall Lecturer, University of North Dakota

Political Science Department | American Government 

2013 | Spring Lecturer, University of North Dakota

Department of Entrepreneurship | Entrepreneurship Through Fund Raising

1988 | Lecturer, University of North Dakota

Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation | Planning and Design of Recreation Facilities 

1989-1996 | Lecturer, University Of North Dakota

Department of Political Science and Public Administration |  Public Finance and Program Administration (2 sections), State and Local Government  (3 sections), American Government (10 sections), and Survey of Public Administration (3 sections)