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Contact: Jim Collins
Phone: (336) 373-2105
Bonnie Kuester Announces Retirement GREENSBORO, NC – (December 15, 2008) – Greensboro Parks & Recreation Director Bonnie Kuester has announced that she will retire on January 31, 2009, with more than 40 years of distinguished service to our community.
During her tenure with the City of Greensboro, Kuester has championed the field of parks and recreation on a local, state, national and international level. Her faithful and accomplished service was most recently recognized in 2007 by the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association (NCRPA) as she received the Meritorious Service Award. She is a member of NCRPA, the American Parks and Recreation Society, the National Recreation and Park Association and numerous civic organizations. In addition, Kuester was the recipient of the prestigious Shepherd Award from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1997 and the Jack “Swede” Frauson Professional Award, given by NCRPA’s Citizen Board Member Division in 1998.
Most notably, Kuester, in concert with the Greensboro Parks & Recreation Commission, led the department through a 20-Year Comprehensive Master Planning process in 1997 (which involved extensive citizen input); three successful Recreation Bond Referendums in 2000, 2006 and 2008; a third National Gold Medal in 2002; and National Accreditation in 2006.
Kuester, the department’s fourth director in its 75-year history, began her career in October 1968 when she was hired to work with children with special needs. With outstanding dedication, vision and commitment, Kuester rose through the ranks to become director in 1992. A graduate of Walter H. Page High School, Kuester went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, followed by graduate studies in Therapeutic Recreation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“It has been an honor to serve in the City of Greensboro organization and our community for the past 40 years. I am especially thankful to the dedicated and highly professional staff of the Greensboro Parks & Recreation Department and consider it a privilege to have served as their director," Kuester said.
City Manager Mitchell Johnson commented, “The City of Greensboro has been fortunate to have a person of Bonnie’s caliber serve in this leadership role. Under her tenure, Parks and Recreation has set the gold standard for departments across the country. The City’s executive team benefited greatly from the deep history and unique perspective that Bonnie provided; her grace and talents will be missed. We expect to identify an interim department head before Bonnie vacates her post.”
Kuester said she is “looking forward to new endeavors and the time to enjoy the great blessing of my husband Frank, family and friends.”
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