Park Board fills assistant director role

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board has filled an assistant director role that has been vacant since the spring retirement of a longtime leader at the organization.

Jill Simmons, an 11-year Park Board employee, this month became assistant director with supervision over the organization's recreation division, according to a news release. She succeeds Kim Reser, who retired in April after a 27-year career with the Park Board and 14 years as assistant director assigned to recreation. 

“I’m confident that Jill will help lead us to new heights through innovative programming, project initiatives and strategically advancing the mission of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board,” said Ron Schneider, director of parks, in the release.

The recreation division is the Park Board's largest and oversees accessible recreation, aquatics, archery, athletics, Brightspeed Ice Park, the Fieldhouse and the Springfield Skate Park, among other recreation division programs and facilities.

Simmons has nearly 15 years of public parks and recreation management experience. She has served at the Park Board the past 11 years as community recreation administrator, according to the release.

"Our recreation team consists of remarkably skilled professionals who create an engaging and dynamic work environment," she said in the release. "I am passionate about cultivating our departmental culture and enhancing our collaborative relationships with community partners.”