Trailblazers: Illinois' top dog: the head of Illinois parks says that success comes from surrounding yourself with great people.

Name: Ted Flickinger

Title: President and CEO of the Illinois Association of Park Districts

Member since: 1966

Ted Flickinger has dedicated his life to parks and recreation. And he doesn't hesitate to say that it takes a special kind of person to stick in this field. "You've got to continue to grow and be able to adapt to change," Flickinger says. He has proven his adaptability as a leader, author and even a lobbyist for parks and recreation.

Now the president and CEO of the Illinois Association of Park Districts, he once was a president of NRPA and was twice elected to NRPA's Board of Trustees. Although his dedication to the organization is illustrated by attending every convention since 1967 (a fact that makes him particularly proud) and serving on judging panels and committees of numerous capacities, Flickinger's influence extends outside of NRPA.

He's the author of hundreds of articles for professional publications. Past Illinois governors have hired him for his expertise on conservation and natural resources issues. He has been a professor at several colleges and a consultant for architectural firms, recreational equipment manufacturers and park and recreation departments. Starting as a recreation activities supervisor for a district in the 1960s, Flickinger has climbed the field's ladder, rung by rung, to reach the pinnacle of his professional and personal goals.

Management philosophy: "Success is measured by the skills a leader applies to build a strong team around him. And you're only as good as the people you surround yourself with."

Words of wisdom: "I'm glad to see that the national organization still puts public information as one of their highest priorities with public advocacy. We need to continue to tell our story and document it. I know that in Illinois, as an association, I'm putting far more emphasis on research than I ever had in the past. I'd been a lobbyist for 27 years and I used to be able to look into the eyes of the legislators at the end of my testimony and say 'it's for the kids" That's not good enough. Today, they're saying 'show me the documentation.' We need to do that. You need to continue to show the benefits.

Future of parks and recreation: "I'm a little concerned and a little worried about our future. Maybe every generation says that, but I've seen a lot of changes in the 46 years I've been involved in it. Especially, I've seen people who are going into private sector recreation realizing that you can make a lot of money from recreation and quality of life. Look what fitness centers have been able to do. I see more and more of these aquatic complexes going up in the private sector and then putting pressure on their legislators, asking 'why do we have these public parks and recreation and they're not paying taxes ...?' And they forget that we've been around--our park district here in Illinois has been here for 100 years. It's been through the test of time."

Stories from the field: "I started an agency in Ohio from scratch and within five years, we won the Gold Medal award. And even now, it's one of the most coveted awards you can get in parks and recreation."