Hoffman Estates park director retiring after 21 years
Dean Bostrom, executive director for the Hoffman Estates Park District, announced at Tuesday's park board meeting his intent to retire in the spring of 2018. Bostrom took the top job in 1997 and has worked in the industry for 35 years.
"When Dean joined the park district in 1997, his energy and passion for his work were immediately apparent," park board President Robert Kaplan said in a news release. "His vision for the park district and its ability to impact the community has proved invaluable over the years. In addition, he has provided exceptional leadership to his staff. … We are going to miss him when he's gone, and hope that he will come back to visit."
Bostrom established intergovernmental agreements with numerous organizations, including Hoffman Estates, Elgin, Schaumburg Township, library districts, school districts and numerous area park districts.
"What I am most proud of are the successful intergovernmental cooperative agreements and public/private partnerships that the park district has formed over the years," Bostrom said in a news release.
Under Bostrom, the district won many honors, including in 2009 the National Gold Medal award from the National Recreation and Parks Association. His personal awards include 2009 Illinois Association of Park District Honored Professional of the Year.
Bostrom co-founded the Friends of HE Parks foundation in 2000. He spearheaded the establishment of a partnership with the Chicago Wolves hockey team and in 2004 expanded by 90,000 square feet the community center, adding two ice rinks, a senior center, renovating the fitness center and adding new administrative offices. The rink is still home to the Chicago Wolves today.
Through a $3 million, 12.09 acre land donation from Sears Holdings Corp. in 1999, Bostrom orchestrated the acquisition of property in the Prairie Stone Business Park to build a 100,000-square-foot building with a fitness center, two swimming pools, three basketball courts, a three-court gymnasium, three tennis courts, a climbing wall and an indoor walking/running track.
One of Bostrom's first achievements was to reach out for community input with a survey to provide direction for the development of a five-year Comprehensive Master Plan, a process which has been continued every five years since. Bostrom's career began with the Rockford Park District in 1982. He then was superintendent of parks and recreation in Richmond, Indiana, and executive director of the Lombard Park District before coming to Hoffman Estates.
"My personal goal has always been to leave every community that I worked in a better community than when I arrived," said Bostrom. "Working together with so many hard working and passionate professionals, dedicated resident volunteers and a board of commissioners who truly gets 'it' I feel we will have accomplished that goal."