Foundations For Recreation: Recipe for Leadership – Bob Espeseth

Kind. Unassuming. Encouraging. Caring. Involved. Giving. Positive. Joy-filled. Fun. By themselves, these words would describe characteristics we appreciate in our family members, friends and coworkers. Mix all of these hallmarks together into one person and we’d have the recipe for local parks and recreation leadership. Sprinkle in some relationship capital, wisdom, timing, and a forward-thinking nature and we might find the most influential leader in Midwest parks and recreation, Mr. Robert Espeseth.

I first had the good fortune of meeting “Bob E” nearly ten years ago. It didn’t take long to recognize his character. It took even less time to receive his gifts. Just because I “knew” him, it was enough to earn his favor and kindness. Over time, I was fortunate to receive his random phone calls, poignant and applicable research insights, and friendship. Due to his unassuming nature, little did I know how much impact he had had on my life before I even met him. One thing I know for sure, the Bob E recipe should be a household staple.

Imagine if you will, it is the 1950s. After three years of active duty during the Korean War, a young Navy ensign returns to the University of Wisconsin to finish a degree in landscape architecture. Shortly thereafter, Bob is hired by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and their state park system. The nation is on the cusp of the environmental movement and one of it’s leaders, Gaylord Nelson, was elected as Governor of Wisconsin. This future founder of earth day had big ideas for the state park system. In 1958, Governor Nelson ordered a study for potential acquisition and development projects. That same year, the National Park Service came calling with desires to grow their newly established National Seashore and Lakeshore protection program. Bob E hopped in a helicopter and flew the shoreline of Lake Michigan and came back down Wisconsin’s interstate system. His newly established planning division earmarked places for inclusion in the state and national park systems like Rock Island, Big Bay, Whitefish Dunes, Black River State Forest, Rocky Arbor, and the Apostle Islands. Drop an additional $35 million dollars from the Wisconsin state congress and over the next ten years, Bob E added 19 (!) state parks to the Wisconsin State Park system. Impressive, right? But Bob was only getting started.

During that same time period, Bob E found an abandoned train line. The idea to create “linear” parkways and greenways was only in its infancy, but he was all aboard! For a lowly $12,000, Bob E purchased the 32.5-mile section of rail. Not surprisingly, Bob E knew people and many of them owned gravel pits. These friendships meant free trail materials. For pennies to the mile, Bob E opened the Elroy-Sparta Trail, the FIRST rail to trail conversion in 1967. Twenty years later (1989), a study found that 50,000 people rode the trail every year and spent nearly $1.5 million dollars during their visits. Imagine where those numbers are today?

Bob E’s next move would be a professional one, saying good-bye to Wisconsin for central Illinois. At the University of Illinois in the Department of Leisure Studies, Bob E took on two roles. As a professor, Bob E began to train and mentor future leaders. As an outdoor recreation specialist, Bob E created guides on special events, camp ground management and many more.

In 1980, Bob E attended a great lakes regional meeting and learned that Michigan had been receiving sea grant funding. Would there be an opportunity for Illinois? He was determined to find out. Later that year, Bob E just so happened to be visiting Washington DC and dropped in on the National Sea Grant office with a fellow professor from Purdue University. “The director is too busy for you to meet with him unannounced,” they were told. Well, Bob E had been in that boat before. Literally. Ned Ostenso, the current director of the National Sea Grant organization, just so happened to have been on the rowing team with Bob E at the University of Wisconsin. Bob E told the receptionist to call him up and let him know he was there. To the shock of the executive assistant, Bob E was ushered in to a meeting with the director immediately. Two years later, the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant was off the ground with Bob E at the helm. Today, over 30 scientists work with the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and they remain at the forefront of research and outreach related to the care for the Great Lakes fisheries, the control of aquatic invasive species, advocating for proper medicinal disposal, and more.  

On top of his work, Bob E has volunteered for over 45 years for the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, first as an elected official and next as a foundation board member. His volunteer work and philanthropy related to the forest preserves have played a significant role in establishing and caring for nearly 4,000 acres of preserves, the Museum of the Grand Prairie, and the newly established Kickapoo Rail Trail.  

Most of what you read above was a casserole of archived newspapers and google. The results sure look and taste good. But that’s just it. Google has the outcomes, but often we overlook the ingredients that made the results. In fact, it starts with the ingredients. Ingredients like kindness, generosity, and positivity. Give them to a master chef who has the right tools (relationship builder, forward-thinker, proper timing, etc.) and you’ve got a recipe for success.