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Parks Director Ron Veach Retiring, Todd Schmidt Appointed Director
Florissant Mayor Tom Schneider announced that Director of Parks and Recreation Ron Veach has given Schneider notice that he will retire effective Dec. 31 of this year. Schneider congratulates Veach for his dedication and his contributions to the city. The mayor announced that Todd Schmidt will become the new parks director.
Veach has over 50 ear of parks and recreation experience which began when he was twelve years old in the Kansas City are. He graduated in 1969 from Central Missouri State with a B.S. in Recreation. He completed an internship with the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation department before being named Maryville’s first Director of Parks and Recreation in 1970. In 1973 he left Maryville to become the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Florissant.
Veach has served on the MO Parks and Recreation Association and the Nominations and Bylaws Committee for the National Parks and Recreation Association,
Veach played a key role in the design and completion of the Nature Lodge at Sunset Park which started from an idea he had in the early 70s. He was instrumental in the enlarging and improving both the JFK and JJE centers, enlarging and improving the swim facilities at Koch Park and Bangert Park, expanding the number of lighted ball fields and having the wire installed underground for lightning protection.
Veach helped to secure $400,000 for playground upgrades in 2002, obtain the F101 Voodoo Jet from Victoria Falls, TX, install a roof over the ice rink for winter and summer activities, establish five miles of asphalt trails, create a premier lighted soccer facility at Florissant Valley Park, build seven new pavilions with electricity, acquire the bandwagon for department and city activities, renovate St. Ferdinand Lake and established the first dog park in north St. Louis County.
“On behalf of the City Council and the Citizens of Florissant,” Schneider said, “we would like to express our gratitude for a job well done and wish Ron Veach continued good health and happiness in his well deserved retirement.”
Schneider said that he met with Veach, Assistant Director of Parks and Recration Todd Schmidt, and Park Maintenance Superintendent Bob Laramie, and other department heads to discuss a replacement for Veach.
“It became abundantly clear that the obvious choice to appoint as the next director would be Todd Schmidt and he will become the Director on Jan. 1, 2013,” Schneider said
Schmidt began working for the City of Florissant in the Parks and Recreation Department in the summer of 1982. He started out as a seasonal cashier and lifeguard at the original Koch Park Pool
In 1986 he was promoted to part-time supervisor as a Recreation Leader III and then was promoted full-time supervisor as a Recreation Specialist. During that time he was able to graduate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. Todd was promoted to Center Director in 1997 and then in 2007 promoted to Superintendent of Recreation. In 2010 he was promoted to Assistant Director, the position he currently holds. He was certified as an Aquatic Facility Operator through the National Parks and Recreation Association in 1988. He has served on the City’s Safety Committee and is currently a member of the City’s Pension Committee.
Schneider said he has every confidence that Todd Schmidt will continue to provide outstanding leadership in the Parks and Recreation department and will see that the outstanding reputation of the City parks will continue.
