Parks Foundation Seeks Executive Director
The Foundation for Geauga Parks Trustees are seeking an executive director to lead the organization into the next phase of growth.
The Foundation for Geauga Parks Trustees are seeking an executive director to lead the organization into the next phase of growth.
Outgoing director Gretchen Faro, who has led the organization since July 1, 2019, took the helm with the clear direction from the board to build the “foundation of the Foundation.” Since then, she has worked hand-in-hand with the board and associate director of marketing and operations to build a solid infrastructure that supports the growing foundation.
“Gretchen has been a tremendous asset and driving force behind the many accomplishments of this past year,” said FGP President Adam Henry. “We knew going in that we would only have her for a short time. In that short time, she has exceeded our expectations for building a strong infrastructure to carry the foundation far into the future, one that is prepared to support parks and nature education programs across the county.”
A Geauga County native, Faro said it has been an honor to help the foundation with its transition to a professional fundraising organization.
“After a long career in the nonprofit sector, I was pleased to help the FGP establish systems, policies and procedures that would ensure accountability and transparency with donors, volunteers and the county and township parks,” Faro said. “The next director will now be able to focus on the ‘fun’ in fundraising.”
The FGP is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit that raises funds to support all parks in Geauga County. Established in 1990, the foundation’s work and mission have been greatly responsible for some of the county’s transformational success stories in land conservation and nature education, said Paige Orvis, FGP’s associate director or marketing and operations.
The foundation’s efforts provided a significant source of private funding for a variety of Geauga County’s signature parks and initiatives: The West Woods, The Rookery and Observatory Park. FGP also collaborated with multiple organizations to create the Geauga Skywatchers Club, targeted for children grades 6-12 with an interest in astronomy.
FGP also is the primary source of funding for Nature Scopes, in which all of Geauga County’s fifth-grade public and parochial school students participate.
In recent years, FGP expanded the scope of its mission to also support Geauga County’s township parks.
“Our core belief is that park visitors experience the natural environment on nature’s terms, which is not only good for us as individuals, but also helps build and maintain a strong community,” Orvis said.
A full description of the executive director position is available at https://bit.ly/FGPExecDirector. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume and list of references to linda@orgsuccess.com.
