Wilmette Park District taps top Oak Park leader to become its new executive director

The Wilmette Park District has its next leader.

Park officials announced on Friday, June 20, that Chris Lindgren is the district’s new executive director. Lindgren, who most recently served as the deputy director of properties and planning for the Park District of Oak Park, will officially begin his new role in Wilmette on July 21.

“From the start, the Board was focused on finding a leader who could move our mission forward while staying grounded in the community and its long-term priorities,” Patrick Lahey, president of the Wilmette Park District Board of Commissioners, said in a news release on the park board’s decision. 

“Chris Lindgren stood out as a clear choice. He is strategic, communicative, and leads with the values that matter to this district,” Lahey continued. “We are grateful for all of the work Commissioner (Kara) Kosloskus put into leading this search for the Board.”

Steve Wilson, Wilmette Park District’s last executive director, resigned from his position in January after he was the subject of an internal investigation in the fall of 2023. Amid accusations of misconduct, the park board reviewed his hiring and promotional practices, The Record previously reported.

Lindgren’s appointment comes after an “extensive recruitment process,” park officials said. The board reviewed applications of over 50 qualified candidates across the country, according to the release.

Lindgren, a graduate of River Forest’s Concordia University, has more than 25 years of experience, including a dozen with the Park District of Oak Park.

In his role there, Lindgren oversaw major capital projects, the construction of two net-zero buildings, secured grant funding for the Park District of Oak Park to expand access and sustainability in public spaces and helped work to reduce electricity usage across district facilities, according to the release.

“What really drew me to Wilmette was the passion I saw in the people, both in the organization and the community,” Lindgren said in a statement. 

“I look forward to listening, learning and working together to shape a future that keeps Wilmette’s parks, facilities and programs thriving for everyone,” he continued.

Park officials added that Lindgren’s arrival “marks an exciting new chapter for the Wilmette Park District,” noting that his “clear focus on innovation, expanding recreational opportunities, sustainability and community connection” will help build on the district’s “legacy of excellence in parks and recreation.”

Wilson, who had been Wilmette Park District’s executive director since 2011 and a district employee since 2007, was placed on a performance improvement plan before the board approved a separation agreement and he resigned on Jan. 31, The Record previously reported.

The internal investigation was sparked in part by allegations from the district’s former Superintendent of Human Resources, Liz Cox, that Wilson was in an inappropriate relationship with and gave preferential treatment to a subordinate and that Wilson retaliated against Cox for investigating the relationship.

Following Cox’s death in December 2023, the claims became the subject of a lawsuit against Wilson and the park district that was filed by her family.

At least nine manager-level staffers left the organization between May 2023 and May 2024. In addition, the district’s administrative team of nine turned over two-thirds of its team since 2020.

A Cook County judge earlier this spring dismissed a civil lawsuit that was filed against the Wilmette Park District and Wilson, The Record reported.

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