Park director retires to enjoy life

The director listed reading, traveling and fly fishing as ways she’ll likely spend free time.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

CANFIELD — After 21 years with Mill Creek MetroParks — the last five as executive director — Susan Dicken will retire Sept. 28.

“I’ve been in environmental planning for over 30 years, so it’s time,” said Dicken, 55, of Boardman.

Both of her sons are on their own. Evan recently married and earned a Fulbright scholarship. He’s studying at the Stanford Center in Yokohama, Japan. Scott graduated from ITT Technical Institute, Youngstown, and is working in the computer field in Columbus.

Dicken enjoyed her time at the park’s helm but says it’s a time-consuming job.

“Now that my kids are on their own, I want to do some other things,” the executive director said.

She hasn’t yet decided what those other things will be but listed reading and fly fishing and traveling with her husband as likely pursuits.

Dicken also plans to remain involved with park activities. She and her husband, Jay Yerian, will remain in the community.

Embracing life

Her first husband, Chip Dicken, died of cancer four years ago. That precipitated her realization that life is too short, she said.

Park commissioners will conduct a search for a replacement. Advertisements are running in park and recreation trade publications, The Vindicator and Ohio’s major newspapers. July 20 is the application deadline.

Dr. Robert McConnell of Youngstown started attending park commissioners’ meetings about 10 years ago because he was concerned about the direction of the park.

He’s been pleased with the job that Dicken has done since taking the director’s job.

“She has enlarged the park and she’s done it largely by grants and not by using tax dollars,” he said.

McConnell also praised Dicken’s management style, saying she enables park employees, who do much of the work at the park, to deliver reports during park board meetings, allowing them to share the credit.

Park involvement

Dicken came to Mill Creek in 1985 as a specialist in planning, grants and public relations. She later became development director in 1989 and was selected in 2002 from a national search to be executive director.

She replaced William Schollaert, who retired.

Dicken is the park’s first female executive director.

She is a 1974 OSU graduate and worked for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources before joining Mill Creek.

Dicken cited the park’s acquisition of about 1,000 acres of property to maintain as natural space during her time as executive director and establishment of the Mill Creek MetroParks bike path as some of her proudest accomplishments.

The acquisitions include the 250-acre former Paradise Fish Farm in Beaver Township, which last year became Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary and the former 303-acre sod farm in Boardman.

The park district secured grants and donations to fund those purchases.