Daniel Glynn
Strategic Public Sector Executive
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About
Accomplished public sector executive with more than 15 years' of experience, including seven years in executive leadership. Expertise spans park and trail planning, facilities management, real estate acquisition, capital improvement planning, policy development, project management, multimillion dollar budgeting, community engagement, and team leadership.
Experience
Parks & Recreation Director at City of Champlin, MN (2023-12 – 2025-12)
- Directed a municipal parks and recreation department with a comprehensive park system consisting of 32 parks, 300 acres of parkland, 29.2 miles of paved off-road multi-use trails, boat launch, an ice arena, a community building, and an event center.
- Managed all departmental financial operations, including a $1.4 million annual operating budget and development of a 10-year Capital Improvement Plan allocating $2.2 million for ice arena improvements and $19.5 million for park system facilities.
- Led project administration for parks and recreation capital initiatives, coordinating planning, design, budgeting, and implementation for ice arena improvements, trail and playground replacements, greenway property acquisition, baseball field renovations, and a new pickleball court complex.
- Led preventive maintenance planning for park facilities, managing contractor-based services and administering facility maintenance projects while coordinating with Public Works on daily operations; utilized Cartegraph asset management software to track assets and generate work orders.
- Secured and administered over $200,000 in state and county grant funding; ensured compliance with grant requirements, reporting standards, and intergovernmental agreements. Prepared and submitted grant reimbursement requests, ensuring proper documentation and eligibility of expenses
- Oversaw seven full-time professionals across two divisions, leading a departmental reorganization that streamlined operations and contributed to the ice arena's second-highest fiscal year on record.
- Developed and implemented departmental policies, including a Community Partnership Policy that clearly defined partner responsibilities and provided transparent guidance for prospective community partners.
- Negotiated and managed contracts for park facility operations—including dock slip rentals, boat rental services, concessions at multiple sites, and user access agreements—generating $85,000 in annual revenue.
- Supervised staff responsible for planning and delivering recreation programs and special events, including the Father Hennepin Festival, concerts in the park, ice fishing contest, farmers market, and a full spectrum of older adult, adult and youth sports, and youth programming.
- Advised elected officials and appointed commissions on policy decisions, capital investment strategy, regulatory considerations, and long-range system planning. Served as staff liaison to the Parks & Recreation Commission.
Parks & Recreation Director at City of Stoughton, WI (2018-01 – 2023-12)
- Directed a municipal parks and recreation department serving a growing community, managing three professional staff members and a diverse park system of 26 parks, conservancies, and public beach.
- Developed and implemented departmental policies including Park Design Standards, Turf Management Guidelines, and Special Event Permitting procedures to ensure consistent infrastructure standards, risk management, regulatory compliance, and long-term asset sustainability.
- Developed and managed annual operating budgets and five-year Capital Improvement Plan totaling $10.5 million.
- Secured and administered over $3 million in local, county, state and federal grant funding for park and trail projects; ensured compliance with grant requirements, reporting standards, and intergovernmental agreements. Prepared and submitted grant reimbursement requests, ensuring proper documentation and eligibility of expenses
- Served as project administrator for major riverfront redevelopment including dam modification, paddle park, non-motorized watercraft launch, riverwalk, and pedestrian bridge.
- Selected, contracted, and managed consultants for park master plans, trail studies, and engineering projects.
- Coordinated with developers on parkland dedication and site selection, resulting in six new park sites ranging from 5 to 30 acres.
- Advised elected officials and appointed commissions on policy decisions, capital investment strategy, regulatory considerations, and long-range system planning. Served as staff liaison to the Parks & Recreation Commission. Served as staff liaison to the Parks & Recreation Committee, River & Trails Taskforce, Whitewater Park Steering Committee, and Friends of the Stoughton Area Youth Center.
Recreation Supervisor at City of Stoughton, WI (2008-12 – 2017-12)
- Managed a comprehensive recreation program for a service area with a population of 20,000 and 3,000 annual participants.
- Supervised, recruited, trained, and hired approximately 50 seasonal employees and volunteers each season.
- Led department marketing, branding, and customer service initiatives, including production of seasonal activity guides and management of social media accounts.
- Worked with community groups to schedule athletic facilities in city parks. Worked with school district to reserve facilities for department programs and activities.
- Advanced community health initiatives by embedding physical literacy principles into recreation programming, achieving a customer retention rate exceeding 95%.
- Created and administered an annual sponsorship program supporting recreation programs and community events, producing $15,000+ in recurring annual revenue.
- Acted as a department liaison to community user groups.
- Redesigned aquatic park which resulted in 2012 Wisconsin Parks & Recreation Association Aquatic Facility Design Award.
Education
M.S. in Parks & Recreation Management – University of Wisconsin – La Crosse (2008)
B.S. in Recreation & Sport Management – St. Cloud State University (2006)


