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Hello, Phil!
Employer: Palatine Park District Position: Human Resource Manager & Safety Coordinator Educational Background: BS in Sociology from University of Illinois at Chicago and Master’s degree in Leisure Studies from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana How long a member of IPRA? 2 ½ years Why is IPRA membership important to you? To help me keep informed on important topics and issues affecting the Parks & Recreation profession. Knowledge is an important tool and to stay ahead of the curve. We all need to continue to learn and expand our expertise in the field. Best thing about working in the field of Parks & Recreation? For me, and this may sound surprising to many of you, the sharing of information on polices, practices, compensation data, etc. with the other park districts. Coming from the for-profit sector and working many years for a trade association, almost none of this type of information would ever be shared with our competitors and those in similar industries. I guess because park districts don’t usually compete for the same customers they are willing to share practically almost anything. I wonder if I could get a loan from my colleagues. Seriously, I cannot thank enough the many HR and Finance staff who provide me information when I send out a request for information. If I win the lottery remind me to share. In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing Parks & Recreation? With the state of Illinois’s financial troubles we may find ourselves with fewer financial resources. We have to remember we are providing important, but not essential services to our communities. We need to determine our priorities and then figure out productive and creative ways to accomplish them. What advice would you give a recent college graduate? Never quit learning - attend educational programs in your field and outside your field to keep up with best practices and changes affecting Parks & Recreation. Tell us a little known fact about you! I participate in the Salt Creek Park District triathlon every summer. The training for it gets me in shape and I like the shirts they give out. What was your path to a career in Parks & Recreation? Backwards. When I graduate with my Master’s in Leisure Studies I started interviewing for jobs in both Human Resources and P & R. I could have gone either direction but I found a job first in HR which I have been in (too many years to share) and not until September 2012 started working for the Palatine Park District. I did however, before graduating, worked at several day camps, volunteered as a coach and board member with my children’s sports. What is your favorite Parks & Recreation program you’ve been a part of? If you mean participated in and not actually developed it would be the Employee Wellness program at the Palatine Park District which is outstanding. Our Fitness, Health and Wellness Coordinator, Jennifer Peldiak, is constantly coming up with new and creative ways that our staff can get off the coach and move. If the staff of any Park District cannot be role models in their community for exercising and becoming physical fit then there is something wrong. Palatine Park District was recently presented with the Exceptional Workplace Award for our employee wellness program. Who do you admire, and why? This is going to sound corny but that would be all of you that spend so much of your time working on behalf of your Park Districts. You all contribute to making leisure services the best it can be for your communities. I commend all of you and wish you all the best! |
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