Following the resignation of its executive director, Rob Hanna, the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District Board of Directors unanimously voted during a special meeting on Feb. 21 to hire CPS Inc. to recruit candidates for his replacement.
The board said it will be recruiting for an interim executive director before selecting a permanent director. The CPS firm is tasked with identifying suitable candidates for the temporary role.
During the special meeting, Board Chair Pam Eller raised a question about the district’s immediate needs: “In the next three months, what are going to be the leadership issues that the district is facing?” The board agreed that input from staff management would be crucial in defining these priorities and identifying the ideal interim leader.
The board outlined key qualities for the interim director — a local who has experience serving on large city boards or committees.
Eller elaborated on the importance of preparing candidates for challenges: “Do we have a crisis that needs to be handled? Do we have a big project that needs some specific type of oversight? What would we warn somebody about if they were coming on as an interim for three months?”
Board members shared expectations for both the interim and permanent executive directors, including being a liaison between board members and staff to encourage open communication, ensuring smooth daily operations, and attending stakeholder and subcommittee meetings.
The board said that the interim director cannot apply for the permanent position and Treasurer Keith Gardner emphasized that both directors will be hired to “not redirect the ship, but keep the ship on course.”