Mark Spier began work as the new Superintendent at the Padre Island National Seashore on Monday. The 36-year veteran of the National Park Service comes to the Coastal Bend from Palo Alto National Historical Park in Brownsville, Texas. He will now be in charge of the management of both national parks.
“I am excited for the opportunity to work with the professional and dedicated staff at the park as we continue to manage and protect the many unique resources found at Padre Island," Spier said in a statement on the Padre Island National Seashore Face book page. "I look forward to engaging the local community as a contributing partner. To support the thousands of people that visit each year will be an honor.”
The search for a new superintendent took eight months. Combining the posts of two parks is not unprecedented and will save the National Park Service about $100,000 a year.
Spier served nine years as superintendent at the Palo Alto park. He is a native of Bolder, Colorado. He has served as chief ranger at Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, was acting superintendent of Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site in Arizona and area ranger at Olympic National park in Washington. He also served in parks in Maryland, Florida and Alabama.
His goal is to build a solid relationship to the community to promote park visits and tourism, he says.
