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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Richard J. "Rick"
4Wulbecker on the occasion of his retirement from the Belvidere
5Township Park District; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Rick Wulbecker received his associate's degree
7from William Rainey Harper College in 1979; he earned his
8Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Park Administration with
9a minor in Physical Education (Coaching) from Illinois State
10University in 1981; he also graduated from the Illinois Park
11and Recreation Association (IPRA) Professional Development
12School; he is a National Youth Coaches Effectiveness Certified
13Instructor; he is also certified in CPR, AED, First Aid, and
14BASSET; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Rick Wulbecker began his career in parks and
16recreation as the athletic supervisor for the Wheeling Park
17District, where he worked from 1982 to 1983; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Rick Wulbecker served as an athletic supervisor,
19the facility manager of the Willow Recreation/Racquet Center,
20the facility manager of the Blackhawk Community/Fitness
21Center, and the community pool facility manager for the
22Hoffman Estates Park District from 1983 to 2000; during his

 

 

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1tenure, he oversaw adult/youth athletic leagues, preschool to
2adult martial arts programs, youth/adult arts and crafts
3programs, seasonal sports tournaments, program budgets, and
4staff training and evaluations; he was also responsible for
5facility budgets and customer service staff training and
6evaluations; he coordinated public relations and promotions,
7purchasing, concessions, merchandise sales, and inventories;
8he helped with the development of building design, building
9policies and procedures, and staff orientation for the opening
10of Blackhawk Community Center; he also managed the Willow
11Skate Park; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Rick Wulbecker became the athletic director of
13the Hanover Park District in 2000; he served until 2003, and
14his duties included being responsible for youth/adult athletic
15programs and special events, developing and organizing program
16budgets, and coordinating and evaluating all athletic
17programs, contractual programs, camps, and special events; he
18then served as superintendent of Recreation from 2003 to 2016,
19where he was responsible for the Recreation Department and
20Seafari Springs Aquatic Family Center facility operation,
21managed and coordinated community center building supervisor
22staff, and coordinated the PDRMA Loss Control Accreditation
23process, college student internship program, LCAP/SHARE high
24school community programs, and the IPRA Joint Purchase
25program; he also served as a legislative liaison and a member

 

 

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1of the Safety Committee; he was promoted to executive director
2in 2016, and he was directly responsible for managing the
3day-to-day operations of the entire agency while carrying out
4policies adopted by the Park District Board of Commissioners
5and communicating them to the Hanover Park District employees
6and community until 2017; his notable achievements included
7leading the park district's strategic plan for 2011 and 2016,
8creating and emceeing the Annual Park District Staff
9Appreciation Dinner Event, serving as the park district's FOIA
10officer and notary public, and negotiating two cricket
11associations to multi-year rental agreements and the Northwest
12Special Recreation Association (NWSRA)/Clearbrook Pursuit 2
13program to be located at the park district; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Rick Wulbecker has served as the superintendent
15of Recreation of the Belvidere Township Park District since
162018, where he has been responsible for the Recreation
17Department, the Rivers Edge Recreation Center, the William
18Grady Pool, the Doty Park Splashpad, the Prairie Fields Sports
19Park, the Riverside Ice Arena, and the Baltic Mill facilities
20operation; his duties included creating and monitoring
21budgets, program development, staff training and evaluation,
22customer service staff, registration, marketing, purchasing,
23and building/field/aquatic rentals; he also coordinated PDRMA
24Loss Control Accreditation process and served as a state
25legislative liaison, school district liaison, Safety Committee

 

 

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1member, Boone County Arts Council member, and Belvidere Area
2Chamber of Commerce member; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Rick Wulbecker has belonged to a number of
4organizations, including the National Recreation and Park
5Association (NRPA), the Illinois Park and Recreation
6Association (IPRA), the Suburban Park and Recreation
7Association (SPRA), and the American Alliance for Health,
8Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD); he has
9attended Illinois Association of Park Districts and IPRA state
10conferences since 1981; he attended NRPA national conferences
11in 1983, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Rick Wulbecker has dedicated his life to serving
13park districts and local communities over a 35-year career;
14therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17we congratulate Richard J. "Rick" Wulbecker on his retirement
18from the Belvidere Township Park District, thank him for his
19years of service, and wish him all the best in his future
20endeavors; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22presented to Rick Wulbecker as an expression of our esteem and

 

 

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1respect.