A series of serendipitous events a few years ago led nature-enthusiast Eric Sukalac to join the growing philanthropic group the Foundation for Geauga Parks.
A series of serendipitous events a few years ago led nature-enthusiast Eric Sukalac to join the growing philanthropic group the Foundation for Geauga Parks.
“My office happened to be next door to the foundation’s at the time and I started hearing conversations in the hallway about parks, so I started asking questions about the organization,” Sukalac said.
Longtime friend and FGP board Trustee Mary Beth O’Neill invited him to sit in on meetings.
In 2021, he became an active board member and this year, is serving as president.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to now serve as president and hope to foster an environment where we can work together to further our mission,” Sukalac said.
FGP is an independent, nonprofit organization created to fund community engagement with nature through education, preservation, conservation and appreciation of the unique natural character of Geauga County.
As president, Sukalac hopes to see the foundation continue to grow in every way.
“We’re looking to further expand our board, our volunteer base, and the grants and scholarships that we’ve established to support our mission,” Sukalac said. “I’m excited to continue the mission of the foundation to support all parks in Geauga County with the help and talents of our donors, sponsors, volunteers, staff and board. There are many great projects for us to work on together in 2023 and more on the horizon.”
Sukalac said he came to appreciate how diverse landscapes in Geauga can be. In a single park, people can find a beach, beautiful wooded trails and an enormous sledding hill.
Sukalac lives with his wife and two young boys in Newbury Township and has a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Case Western Reserve University. He is the chief product officer for TPA Stream, Inc., a software service organization helping administer employee benefits.
Sukalac and two friends founded the company in 2014 and he said he is developing the next generation of employee benefit solutions.
In his newest role, Sukalac hopes FGP benefits from his enthusiasm for Geauga County and its many parks, as well as his strong technical and strategic planning background.
Former FGP President Adam Henry said Sukalac’s passion and talents are a great benefit to the organization.
“We are excited to continue the foundation’s momentum with Eric’s leadership,” he said. “He has been an active volunteer and board member for several years, from participating in foundation programs like our Explorer Series to streamlining day-to-day operations in the office. Eric’s vision for the foundation’s future is energizing for the organization and it is an honor the pass the reins to him.”
With such a fervent group of people involved in the foundation and a wonderful collection of partner organizations, Sukalac said he wants to maximize the impact their collective efforts can have for the foundation’s mission.
His fascination for the county’s nature bounties dates back to his high school days.
He grew up in Concord Township and first experienced Geauga County while attending high school at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin School.
“As soon as I was old enough to drive, I found myself exploring all that Geauga has to offer,” Sukalac said.
His first job was working at the dining room at Punderson Manor and his free time was spent playing music with friends outside Coffee Corners in Burton Village.
He moved to Geauga in 2012 with his wife, Deanna, where they’ve raised their two boys, Jude and Malachi.
“Growing up, my family spent a lot of time exploring parks in Northeast Ohio — Headlands Beach State Park and the Holden Arboretum,” Sukalac said, adding Geauga Park District’s Veteran’s Legacy Woods in Newbury Township is one of his favorite parks.
The collection of parks and nature preserves between the GPD, individual townships and nature preserves are wonderful for residents to enjoy, he said.
“We’re all very fortunate to live in a place with such a wide variety of natural landscapes and the support of those looking to preserve them,” Sukalac said.
The outdoors has become his home office where he can speak on his phone and take care of the business while enjoying Geauga’s ecosystem.
“The nature of my work requires me to be on the phone quite a bit and the work-from-home movement has really freed me up to spend time in our parks while working. In good weather, you’ll find me at Veterans Legacy Woods, the Rookery, or Burton Township’s Veterans Memorial Forest and Park, walking and talking,” Sukalac said.
While it’s important to recognize Geauga has so many great parks, he emphasized the need to maintain them.
“It will take the continued shared efforts of all of our partners to make sure that these beautiful resources are conserved and preserved for future generations,” Sukalac said.
He issued a call to residents who admire and use the parks to join FGP and support its mission.
“We love parks. Our board of directors, staff, volunteers and donors stand firmly behind our mission to raise money for all of the parks in Geauga County,” he said. “We team up with other organizations to educate, preserve and support the parks.
“For anyone else who may be interested in parks in Geauga County, I’d encourage them to learn more, donate or simply come say hello at one of our monthly explorer series hikes,” he added. “Please join us this year and every year in our work to protect and preserve our many parks in Geauga for future generations.”
The foundation will be hosting the Caveman Crawl 5k on June 11 at Geauga Park District’s The West Woods, 9465 Kinsman Rd., Russell Township.
