Schaumburg Park District President Elected Trustee of Statewide Association

Bob Schmidt, President of the Schaumburg Park District, was recently elected to the Illinois Association of Park Districts' (IAPD) Board of Trustees.

As an IAPD Trustee, Schmidt will assist the association with its mission of advancing Illinois park districts, forest preserves, conservation, recreation, and special recreation agencies in their ability to preserve natural resources and improve the quality of life for all people in Illinois. He will work with the 19-member board to advise the association in providing service, research, advocacy, public awareness, and educational programs to its membership of 360 park, recreation, and conservation agencies and nearly 100 affiliated business partners.

"Bob understands firsthand the positive influences of parks, recreation, and conservation, and his dedication to community service is outstanding," said Peter Murphy, IAPD President and Chief Executive Officer. "He is an excellent addition to the IAPD Board, and I know that with his guidance and expertise, Illinois parks, recreation, and conservation will continue to thrive."

Schmidt has been a member of the IAPD Program Committee since 2007 and served as chair of the committee in 2013. He is the IAPD Exhibits Chair of the IAPD/IPRA Joint Conference Committee, and is a member of the IAPD/IPRA Joint Distinguished Park and Recreation Accreditation Committee. He attained Distinctive Board Member status in 2022 through IAPD's Board Member Development Program.

He was elected to the Schaumburg Park District's Board of Commissioners in 2003.

Schmidt was a teacher for Schaumburg School District 54 for 32 years. He served as the boys and girls soccer coach at Schaumburg High School from 1994 to 2016 and has been active with St. Peter Lutheran Church, the Schaumburg Athletic Association, and the Village of Schaumburg.

IAPD was established in 1928 and is the oldest state association for parks, recreation, and conservation in America. The association serves more than 2,100 elected park, recreation and forest preserve district board members who govern 360 agencies employing more than 67,000 individuals.

IAPD strives to improve Illinois' quality of life through park districts, forest preserves, conservation, and recreation agencies by establishing grants and other new revenue streams for park land, facilities, and services; educating the public about the positive effects parks and recreation have on communities; and meeting the problem of decreasing open space in Illinois.