Chuck Pezoldt: Just eight short months after his retirement as Director of the Metro Data County Park and Recreation Department, Dr. Pezoldt passed on August 18, 1996. He had served as Director of Parks and Recreation from 1958-1968 for the Des Plaines Park District. Upon leaving his hometown of Des Plaines, Dr. Pezoldt was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leisure Studies at the University of Illinois from 1968-1972, Chief of the outreach and public service unit of the Department from 1970-1971, and Director of Undergraduate Studies from 1972-1974.
Dr. Pezoldt served as Chief of Operations for the Metropolitan Dade County Florida Park and Recreation Department from 1974-1980; Deputy Director, 1980-1994; and Director, 1994-1996. During this era, the Metroparks system grew to 13,500 acres, making it the sixth largest in the country. The Department manages 598 facilities, including pools, stadiums, campgrounds, shooting ranges, horse trails and golf courses.
Three times in the past 15 years-more than any other park system of its size-Metro Dade County has won the Gold Medal Award, the most coveted award given to a park department and presented by the National Sports Foundation. The Department has also recently undergone the scrutiny of audits by the National Accreditation Council for Park and Recreation and is the first large American park and recreation system to win approval from that organization. Personally, Dr. Pezoldt was singled out for numerous national and state awards. Attorney General Janet Reno, who worked with Dr. Pezoldt on at-risk youth programs during her tenure as Dada County States Attorney, paid her friend the ultimate compliment earlier this year. Upon his retirement Ms. Reno stated, "Your concern for people and for their space and opportunity for life is unmatched by anyone. Your can-do attitude always kept me going. You are one of my heroes."
Dr. Pezoldt received his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, his Master of Arts from Northwestern and Bachelor of Science degree from Rice University where he was captain of the swimming team.
He received requests to speak to professionals around the world including the keynote address at the Royal Australian Park and Recreation Association meetings in Aubury, Sydney and Melbourne; the World Park and Recreation meeting of U.S. Navy Base Special Services, and various state association conferences. He was elected to the Academy in 1982 and served terms as Board member and secretary prior to being President in 1991.
With Dr. Pezoldt’s guidance, the Metro-Dade Park and Recreation Department won national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). The award was announced recently in San Antonio at the 1995 Congress of the National Recreation and Park Association. Metro Parks is the first park and recreation department in the nation serving over 2 million people to receive this accreditation. Dr. Pezoldt was most recently honored by Chief Judge Leonard Rivkind and members of the Eleventh Circuit of Florida at a ceremony recognizing his "Commendable efforts in assisting at-risk youth through the Good Life and Youth Leadership Programs he engineered."