NRPA People.

AWARDS

The Lake County Forest

Preserves received top honors from national agencies this summer for outstanding programs and facilities and public information materials produced by Forest Preserve employees. At their annual conference held in July, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials (NACPRO) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) awarded several Lake County Preserve projects with top honors. The annual awards program recognizes outstanding accomplishment in the field of conservation, education, parks, and recreation. The Forest Preserves' ThunderHawk Gold Club near Beach Park won NACPRO's Outstanding Facility Award. ThunderHawk Golf Club features 243 acres of rolling terrain, woodlands, pristine, wetlands, and beautifully restored native prairie.

APPOINTMENTS

After a nationwide search, the Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners has named Ken Brissa as its executive director. Brissa has been acting executive director since March 24, taking over when Joe Schultz retired from the district. Brissa will oversee 92 full-time employees and over 2,300 acres of parks and open space. Brissa is also on the board of Indian Prairie School District 204 and a member of several community groups. "Ken brings multifaceted experience we think the park district is ripe to reap the benefit of," said Board President Mary Lou Wehrli. "Of the many excellent candidates who applied for the position, Ken is a natural choice for the job."

Michael B. Weidner has been named president and chief operating officer (COO) of ACRT, Inc. Weidner will manage the arboriculture consulting and training firm's day-to-day operations. Founder Richard E. Abbott continues as chairman and CEO of the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio firm. Weidner joined ACRT in 1998 as director of project development and was promoted in 1999 to vice president and general manager of the firm's western division, headquartered in Lodi, California. The Ohio State University Agriculture Technical Institute graduate has more than 15 years experience in urban forestry, line clearance, arboriculture, and horticulture experience. Established in 1985, ACRT provides utilities and municipalities with a wide range of arboricultural consulting services.

OBITUARIES

Gary Thomas Robers was a mentor, friend, and special colleague whose dedication to the recreation field touched many lives. His colleagues at the Cincinnati Recreation Commission say he made a difference in the lives of children and adults in the community. "He was a fantastic employee," said Dianne Hoover, superintendent of recreation. "He was a motivator to his employees."

After 24 years at the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Robers most recent position was supervising recreation coordinator. In this capacity he was in charge of adult athletic sports.

Ralph S. Coppa of Narragansett, MA passed away on July 24, 2000 at the age of 68. He was a colorful former recreation director whose commitment to children, to his Italian heritage, and to the New York Yankees kept him in the headlines for decades. A long-time teacher and public school administrator, Mr. Coppa left education in 1975 and two years later took over the local recreation program, whose cornerstone was the popular Narragansett Town Beach.

His devotion to the job, his candor, and his garrulous demeanor soon earned him the sobriquet "superintendent of summer." In 1997 he was inducted into the then-new state hall of fame for outstanding recreational professionals. In 1990 he was one of nine people in the county cited by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association for outstanding contributions to youth sports. A 34-year town resident, he coached Little League and was also past president of the South Kingstown Babe Ruth League.