PARK PERKS

Meet the New Executive Director Tom Carstens

The Frankfort Park District is pleased to announce Tom Carstens as the new Executive Director. Before joining the Frankfort Park District, Carstens worked for 14 years at the Bolingbrook Park District and most recently served as their Deputy Director/Director of Recreation, Revenue Facilities and Marketing. While at Bolingbrook, Carstens developed and started the Bolingbrook/Romeoville Character Counts Coalition, expanded programs and facilities to accommodate a rapidly growing community and won the Illinois Parks and Recreation Chairman’s Award in 2006. Carstens also played an instrumental role in the Bolingbrook Park District winning the National Recreation and Park Association Gold Medal in 1999. “I look forward to getting involved with the community as a whole, and hope to bring my experience, enthusiasm and professionalism to the Frankfort Park District,” Carstens said. 

Carstens replaces Jeff Boubelik who will retire on April 30 after 11 years of service as the Executive Director.

Carstens is an Illinois native and grew up in Downers Grove. He received a bachelor’s degree from North Central College where he majored in both Recreation Administration and Psychology. Carstens currently resides in Bolingbrook with his wife Jill and their five-year-old daughter Alexandra.  Carstens’ official start date at the will be May 24.

Three New Staff Hired

Scott Tierney has joined the Frankfort Park District as the new Athletic Supervisor overseeing youth and adult athletics and various camps and tournaments. Tierney has a B.A. in Parks and Recreation Management from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Tierney comes to Frankfort with 10 years of supervisory experience and was most recently Palos Height’s Recreation Departments Athletic & Fitness Coordinator. Tierney resides in Tinley Park for the past 7 years with his wife Heide and their two kids, Camren and Cali.

Cali DeBella recently joined the FPD as the Special Events Coordinator. Events she will oversee include: Movies on the Green, 4th of July Celebration, youth holiday luncheons, senior luncheons, Halloween Haunting and Polar Express. DeBella has a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration from the University of St. Francis. For the past seven years, DeBella held the position as Director of Parks and Recreation for the Justice Park District. DeBella resides in New Lenox for the past six years with her husband Tony and 1 ½ year old daughter Paige.

Stacy Connelly is the new Public Relations Coordinator. She will be responsible for issuing press releases, website updates and developing marketing flyers for park district programs and special events. Prior to her employment with the park district, Connelly most recently served as Marketing Coordinator for Truman College in Chicago. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Iowa and has over 10 years of professional experience. Connelly resides in Frankfort with her husband Ryan and their two children.
 

Staff Anniversaries:

Recreation Director, Stacy Proper, celebrated her five-year anniversary with the Frankfort Park District this February. Proper, originally from Beverly, started her recreation career here as an intern in 2000. After completing her internship, Proper worked for 4 ½ years at the Frankfort Square Park District as the Recreation Supervisor before coming back to the Frankfort Park District in 2005. “ I really enjoy working with the community,” said Proper. “I like working on events, being creative and seeing it all come together”.

Over the past five years Proper has seen many changes. “The community has grown and evolved so much since I started. I am constantly thinking of new programs and events to bring to Frankfort.”

Proper has a degree in Recreation Administration from Eastern Illinois University. She resides in Tinley Park.

 

Bob Johnson – 10 years of Service
Superintendent of Parks, Bob Johnson, celebrates his 10-year anniversary with the Park District this year. Bob, originally from Frankfort, starting working for the FPD part-time in 1997 doing office work, outdoor maintenance and score keeping while in high school. By 1999 he was working here full in the maintenance department and in January 2001, after former Superintendent Dave Ernst retired, Johnson was hired as Superintendent of Parks.

When Johnson started, there were only seven parks in the park district. Currently there are 17. “I am proud of the growth of the maintenance department”, said Johnson. “When I started we were a small department of two full-time staff, two part-time staff, and a three car garage with three trucks. Currently, we have a dedicated full time staff of five and a new, state-of-the-art maintenance facility”.

Johnson and his wife Megan, whom he met while working at the park district, reside in Joliet with their newborn twins.