Palatine parks director elected to prestigious post

Michael Clark, executive director of the Palatine Park District, has been elected to the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, a group of distinguished practitioners and educators who are leaders in the field of parks and recreation.

Clark was inducted recently at the academy's annual meeting during the National Recreation and Park Association Congress in Las Vegas.

Established in 1980, the academy was formed to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; encourage scholarly efforts to enhance the practice of park and recreation administration; promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation; and conduct research, publish scholarly papers and/or sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. The academy is limited to 125 active members.

Members of the group must have served for at least 15 years in a high level of administration in a park and recreation agency, or as a recognized educator in parks and recreation administration, or they must manage a park and recreation department for an agency with a population of more than 500,000.