Northfield fire chief to retire after 50 years of service to village

Mike Nystrand was still in high school when he started as a volunteer with the Village of Northfield emergency response team.

Fifty years on, Nystrand will retire in 2025 as the Village’s fire chief of 37 years.

The Village of Northfield announced Nystrand’s pending retirement in a June 6 news release, which also said Nystrand plans to remain in his role until the Village finds his replacement.

“It truly has been a great honor to serve the residents of Northfield and our neighboring communities over the decades,” Nystrand said in the news release.

Nystrand moved from a high-school volunteer to an on-call medical technician for the Village and then an employee with the Public Works Department. His experience as a first-responders and public works staffer sparked his promotion to the dual position of fire-rescue chief (in 1988) and director of public works, a unique role in which he still serves today.

“It is impossible to quantify the number of lives saved and bettered through the steadfast dedication of Chief Nystrand,” Village Manager Patrick Brennan said in a statement. “His commitment to serving the needs of our residents is unmatched.”

Village President Tracey Mendrek called Nystrand a friend for more than 30 years and she will be sad to see him go.

“While we  knew this day would eventually come, it doesn’t make it any easier to accept that Mike is  retiring,” she said in the release.

Nystrand will become another longtime Northfield official to depart the Village ranks in recent years.

Longtime Village Manager Stacy Sigman departed her full-time role amid controversy in 2023, and 40-year police department veteran and 19-year Chief Bill Lustig retired in 2024.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.