Volpe Welcomes Retirement After 30 Years in Parks & Recreation

Volpe Welcomes Retirement After 30 Years in Parks & Recreation

Release Date: May. 11, 2009

The Park District of Highland Park’s Executive Director, Ralph J. Volpe, is retiring after over 30 years of professional experience in the field of parks and recreation. Volpe received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Parks and Recreation Administration from Western Illinois University.

Volpe started as a graduate intern at the Park District of Highland Park and worked for the Park District of Highland Park as a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) Director and a Winter Sports Facility Manager before going to Glencoe Park District.  While at Glencoe, he was a Facility Manager responsible for the Glencoe Beach and the Watts Ice Arena and did a short interim as Executive Director before coming back to Highland Park as the Assistant Superintendent of Parks. Volpe worked his way up the ranks as Superintendent of Parks and Director of Parks and Planning, and then assumed the responsibilities of the Executive Director in 2001.

Volpe has proven his ability for open space master planning, the implementation of capital development programs and grant writing skills. In addition, he has demonstrated leadership, management and interpersonal skills for a cooperative, community-oriented District. Volpe has been highly involved in the field of parks and recreation throughout his tenure. He is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional and has been involved in a variety of leadership roles for the National Recreation and Park Association and Illinois Park and Recreation Association and a variety of other park and recreation organizations.

Volpe is committed to parks and recreation, and has also been highly involved in the community in various capacities including a member and board member of the Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood, member and president of the Lions Club, member of the City of Highland Park’s Environmental Commission, the City of Highland Park’s Lakefront Taskforce and the City of Highland Park’s Greenways Committee, and he sat on the Highland Park Hospital Advisory Board. Volpe also strongly believes in and has taken an active role in intergovernmental and interagency community cooperation.

Everyone at the Park District of Highland Park would like to thank Volpe for maintaining high standards for the District, and we wish him the best in his retirement.

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Ralph J. Volpe

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