METROPARKS LEADERS | 1981-2012

Clarke Johnson, leaving next week for retirement, was hired in December 2010. The Mill Creek MetroParks Board of Commissioners chose Johnson as the new executive director after the MetroParks system had been without a permanent director since mid-2009.

Dave Imbrogno, began working here Oct. 1, 2007, but resigned during an executive session of the park board Aug. 31, 2009. A severance package paid the park district’s former executive director more than $111,000. During Imbrogno’s tenure, more than 350 acres were added to the forest and its artist-in-residence program grew from one to as many as four artists annually who work in all media and come from all over the world.

Susan Dicken, executive director for about five years, retired Sept. 28, 2007. She was hired as a specialist in planning, grants and public relations and later became development director. In 2002, Dicken was selected from a national search to be executive director, the first woman to occupy the job. During Dicken’s time as director, the park acquired the Sawmill Creek Reserve, Mill Creek Wildlife Area and Mill Creek Preserve, totaling more than 1,000 acres.

William Schollaert left midyear 2002 as parks superintendent and moved to Arizona. Schollaert became Mill Creek Park’s recreation director in 1973 and was named superintendent in 1981.

Source: Vindicator files