Genie Zakrzewski has been an active and dynamic presence in the field of parks and recreation. Previously President and CEO of Leroy Springs & Company, Inc., (LSC) a recreation management company headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Genie also served as Director of St. Louis County Parks, Missouri from 1999 - 2004, Deputy Director for St. Louis County Parks from 1996 - 1999 and director at two municipal parks and recreation agencies in St. Louis County Missouri.

LSC is a non-profit company and one of the sister companies of The Springs Company, a Lancaster, South Carolina, and based management firm. LSC was created in 1938 as a public charity to provide recreation opportunities to residents of Chester and Lancaster County and the Township of Fort Mill, South Carolina. LSC was established by Elliott Springs, the son of Leroy Springs who was the founder of Springs Cotton Mills, now known as Springs Industries, a large textile manufacturer. LSC's operations and assets include four golf courses, three recreation complexes, swimming pools, the 380-acre Springmaid Mountain resort in North Carolina, the 27-acre Springmaid Beach Resort, an oceanfront 486-room hotel, with a 39,000 square foot conference center; and the Anne Springs Close Greenway consisting of approximately 2,300 acres. 

Under Zakrzewski's leadership with St. Louis County Parks, parkland was expanded, including 1,044 acres added to Creve Coeur Park, doubling its size to 2,229 making it the County's largest park; the addition of Ebsworth Park with the Frank Lloyd Wright Home on its grounds; and continued acquisition of land along the Meramec River for the Greenway; the department's strategic plan was implemented; a governance agreement between St. Louis County and Laumeier Sculpture Park's Board of Trustees was executed; and a restructuring was put into practice to promote increased efficiency and effectiveness; along with an aggressive master planning and capital improvement program.   

Genie has a M.A. in Business Management from Webster University and a B.S. in Recreation Administration from Southern Illinois University. Her pursuit of continuing education includes the National Recreation and Park Resources Management School; American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, Professional Development; National Institute of Justice/International City Managers Association, COPS; Recreation Facilities Management School; and the Coro Foundation Leadership Program.

She is a recipient of the Missouri Park and Recreation Association Fellow Award; Class IV, Great Lakes Region Winner, Dottie Mullen Arts and Humanities Award; Associate Fellow Award Recipient, Missouri Park and Recreation Association; St. Louis County Parks Outstanding Program Award, given by the MPRA Municipal Section; and Organizational Award, Special Recreation Council, given for leadership in providing quality recreation services to disabled individuals.

During her ongoing membership in the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, she has served as Membership Chair, Professional Externship Chair, Citizen Involvement Task Force and on the Board of Directors.

As a member of the South Carolina Parks and Recreation Association, she is serving on the Vision Task Force. She was a former member of the Missouri Park and Recreation Association, where she was a Certified Park and Recreation Professional; served as Association President; and Sponsorship Co-chair and Curriculum Chair for the Gateway to Success Design School for Building Leisure Centers.

Other organization memberships include the Fort Mill Rotary club where she chairs the Charity Golf Tournament. Former affiliations included the Missouri Urban Forestry Association Council, St. Louis Chapter; Special Recreation Council of Metropolitan St. Louis on which she was Chairman of the Board of Directors; Board of Directors for the Frank Lloyd Wright House; and the University of Missouri Advisory Council for the School of Natural Resources.

Back to Membership List