Campus Connection

Alum’s park passion perseveres

[caption id="attachment_4967" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Kathy Gruentzel, ’76, Park Superintendent at Gov. Dodge State Park, center, talks with Sgt. David Fish of the Wisconsin State Patrol, right, and Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch during a hike through the park last summer. Gruentzel is receiving the Professional Award of Merit from the Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association.[/caption] As a child in the late ’60s and early ’70s, Kathy Gruentzel enjoyed traveling with her family, camping across the U.S. Today, she’s helping hundreds of families do the same in Wisconsin. Gruentzel, ’76, says all that camping and being in Girl Scouts from second grade through college shaped her eventual career as a park superintendent. “All those outdoor experiences led me to the field of parks,” she says. But before Gruentzel got there, she spent 17 years in hotel management, continuing a job she held during college. But when offered a job at historic Devil’s Lake State Park in 1989, she enthusiastically took it. [caption id="attachment_4966" align="alignleft" width="300"] Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, front, on a hike with Kathy Gruentzel, ’76, Park Superintendent at Gov. Dodge State Park, and Sgt. David Fish of the Wisconsin State Patrol. Gruentzel has led the park for 16 years.[/caption] After stints at Interstate State Park, Council Grounds State Park, and Bong State Recreation Area, Gruentzel pitched her tent at Governor Dodge State Park, where she has worked for 16 years. For her 26-year state park career, Gruentzel is receiving the Professional Award of Merit from the Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association. She is scheduled to be recognized at the group’s 50th annual conference Nov. 5 in Wisconsin Dells. Along with serving as park superintendent at Governor Dodge, Gruentzel supervises Tower Hill and Blue Mound state parks, along with the Military Ridge and Northern Badger State Trails. With a growing list of staff vacancies due to recent changes in the state budget, Gruentzel performs duties for several positions. She handles all administrative functions, budgeting and financial duties; facilities development; checking in campers and selling park admission stickers; overseeing maintenance; and performing park law enforcement. [caption id="attachment_4968" align="alignright" width="300"] Kathy Gruentzel, ’76, Park Superintendent at Gov. Dodge State Park, right, talks with Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch during a visit to the park near Dodgeville this past summer[/caption] Through it all, Gruentzel says she’s comforted by the fact that every day is different. She also gets to know repeat visitors. “It’s like visiting with family when they come in for a stay,” she notes. Gruentzel still draws from college classes, especially those that were more practical. “We got out of the classroom and into the field to talk with practitioners who gave us good real world information,” she says. Professors — Bob Steuck, Ernie Hartmann, Bill Otto, Tom Gushiken and others — were great mentors. She now finds herself taking on the mentor role during challenging times as a state employee. “We need to weather that storm,” she explains. “I continue to mentor newer staff so we can continue having future leaders for our state park system.”

The Kathy Gruentzel file

Title: Park Superintendent/Work Unit Supervisor Grad year: 1976 Major/minor: BS Recreation and Parks Administration Hometown: Madison Years at Gov. Dodge State Park: 16 Years in the profession: 26 in the State Park System; 17 in hotel management prior to state parks