Barry Weiss is the retired Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of San Carlos, California, a community of 28,000 located on the San Francisco Peninsula. He administered the award-winning parks and recreation department for eight years through 2008. Barry has been in the Parks and Recreation profession since 1983, working his way up from Recreation Supervisor for the City of Alameda, General Supervisor for the City of Oakland, and Recreation Superintendent for the City of Palo Alto.

Barry led the San Carlos to fourteen statewide awards from the California Park and Recreation Society, and fifteen district awards including awards for facility design, park planning, economic development, and innovative programming. On March 6, 2009 Barry was inducted into the California Park and Recreation Society Hall of Fame.

Barry has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Statewide Citation Award in 2004 from the California Park and Recreation Society, Presidential Award from the California Park and Recreation Society in 2000, Distinguished Alumni Award, California State University at Hayward in  May 2000, Outstanding Youth Sports Leader Award from National Alliance for Youth Sports in 1994, Achievement Award, California Park and Recreation Society, Supervisors Section in 1986, and chosen as one of the “Outstanding Young Men in America” by the United States Jaycees, 1978.

Barry served as President of the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) the largest state park and recreation organization in the United States in 2004-05 and has chaired the VIP Strategic Action Plan implementation team for the Park and Recreation profession in California, including a benchmarking process and statewide public relations campaign. 

Barry implemented a very successful Alternative Fund Development Program in San Carlos including a new foundation, cutting edge naming policy and enhanced sponsorships securing private sector funds. Facilities are now being developed that would not be possible without this approach.

Based on his accomplishments as CPRS President, Academy member, securing private sector funding and repositioning Parks and Recreation as an essential service, he has been a highly sought-after speaker in other state professional organizations throughout the nation, including Arizona, Washington, South Carolina, Michigan, Vermont, Arkansas, California, and NRPA National Congresses. He was selected by NRPA to teach the initial Regional Training now being implemented by NRPA.

Barry is a member of the National Recreation and Parks Association, California Park and Recreation Society and American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration. He has been involved in many local, regional and national organizations, including the CPRS Legislative Committee, CPRS VIP Strategic Action Plan Implementation Committee, CPRS Ethics Committee, California State University at Hayward Curriculum Committee for Recreation and Community Services Department and the San Jose State University Recreation and Leisure Studies Department Advisory Council.

Barry lives the motto “Creating Community through People, Parks and Programs.” His passion for the profession reflects his belief that no profession impacts as many people as Parks and Recreation..[updated 12/09]

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