Director leading local park district

When Jeff Nehila arrived in Round Lake Heights nearly eight years ago, the Round Lake-area population was around 32,000.

Fast forward to today, and that number has nearly doubled, with figures creeping upwards of 60,000.

That might not mean much to most local residents, besides fighting more vehicles in rush hour traffic, but when you’re the executive director of a park district that serves five communities, two townships and more than a dozen schools in four separate districts, it’s a big deal.

Nehila has been in charge of the Round Lake Area Park District for the last seven and a half years, and he’s done his part to make sure the park district grows along with the population.

Whether it’s building a new sports center, accommodating programs to the changing demographics in the community or purchasing property for future projects, Nehila has overseen a park district that never stops reaching toward new goals.

“From a planning stand point, he’s extremely talented in budgeting and strategic planning,” said Tim Pasternak, president of the park district board of commissioners. “I’ve often told him, if we could only get people like him in the business world, we would be much better off.”

Even the state has noticed the good things happening at the park district. The Round Lake Area Park District became the first ever state-accredited agency with the Illinois Joint Distinguished Parks and Recreation Agency program this past fall. The park district was evaluated and received 485 out of a possible 500 points that looked into all aspects of the park district's operations, programs and services.
Only five of the 350 state agencies lay claim to that honor.

"To me, as a person underneath him, that's a huge thing," assistant director Bob Newport said of the accreditation. "That sets the standard for the staff."

Making plans
When the now 49-year-old Nehila walked through the doors of the park district for the first time in 2002, his coworkers could tell he had big plans.

“I thought he had a lot of drive,” Newport said. “He was somebody who wanted to see things get done in a timely fashion and have those things make a big impact on the community.”

Within a year of his arrival, Nehila had helped the administration lay out a comprehensive plan for the future of the park district. By 2008, nearly everything on the list had been accomplished, including the building of a sports complex, teen center and ropes course, as well as the acquisition of 136 acres of land and the development of 20 new parks.

All of those accomplishments were important, Nehila said, but one stood out.

“The Sports Center is my baby,” Nehila said. “I knew it would work, and it does.”

The 50,000 square-foot building that opened in 2005 brought the park district an additional 250,000 visitors a year, Nehila said. On any given day or night, there are various sports leagues and fitness classes utilizing the Sports Center.

But soccer is the anchor of the center, Nehila said, and it allows the park district to delve into a demographic that traditionally hasn’t been offered much.

“We weren’t really tapping into our Hispanic community,” Nehila said. “Collectively, we’re over 30 percent Hispanic. You can’t ignore 30 percent of your population... You don’t have to speak English to go into the Sports Center and play soccer.”

With the 2003 comprehensive plan laid to rest, Nehila and the administration came up with a new strategic plan in 2008 and already have made several strides toward achieving their new goals.
The park district started development with a $400,000 grant on the Fairfield Sports Complex in 2008.

he complex is located off of Fairfield Road in Round Lake Beach and is home to a new T-ball field that is ready for the spring season, Nehila said. Two softball fields that eventually will be housed in the area will help answer another demographic demand – that for an adult softball league – Nehila said.

In December, a grant helped the park district purchase 6 acres of property just to the east of its Sports Center, which will fittingly be called Sports Center Park. It will contain two more soccer fields and T-ball fields when all is said and done, Nehila said.

Most recently, the park district received a grant to purchase a small amount of property on Dave's Channel leading to Round Lake. The purchased land, combined with a land donation, will be developed into a waterfront park. Eventually, Nehila said, kayaking classes and other outdoor water activities will be available through park district programs.

A nice guy
Nehila has great management skills, Pasternak said, but one of his other great qualities is his personable demeanor.

“He’s someone that people seek out,” Pasternak said. “You know, one of these big people that you come across, you know there’s something special about them, and you can go to them, and they can provide you with guidance and have a big set of shoulders to listen ... and he’s someone that can handle that.”

Newport said Nehila has become somewhat of a mentor to him, with all of the little things that Nehila does to make the park district a better place.

A park and rec guy through and through, Nehila loves the outdoors and working with his hands. You wouldn’t be hard-pressed to see the executive director shoveling snow off the sidewalk or picking up garbage on park district property, Newport said. No job is beneath him, nor is any employee.

“He knows everyone,” Newport said. “There’s staff who might work here two to three hours a week for us ... and he may not know a lot about them, but he remembers their name. That’s something I’ve really picked up on from him. And he treats customers the same way. This is their park district – we’re just here to make things run.”

Nehila routinely shares lunch with seniors who participate in the park district’s senior center programs. He’s a familiar face to parents of school children, coaches at soccer games and village officials at community events.

If you can’t tell by looking at the guy that he’s a good person, all you have to do is listen to him, Newport said.

"You can hear him laugh all the way throughout the building," Newport said smiling.

Team effort
The Round Lake Area Park District has 53 parks throughout the area; a children's nature center; a pre-school, kindergarten and before and after school day- care program; an outdoor pool; a golf course; and a special recreation program. It employees 100 people during the winter and well past 350 in the summer.

Each year, the program brochure changes to keep up with current trends, Nehila said.

But even though he oversees in some capacity each program the park district offers, Nehila doesn’t take much credit for its successes. His greatest sense of accomplishment, he said, comes from working with people who have the same focus and drive he does.

“It really is truly the opportunity to work side-by-side with people who share the same enthusiasms I do,” he said. “What we do makes such a difference. [Think] 50 years down the road, 100 years down the road. It might be buying that piece of land that turns into a center, planting trees, or cleaning up the environment – being able to leave a legacy [is important].”

Nehila even shares credit with the community for the ways in which the park district has grown. More than 100 local volunteers helped build a new playground and skate park in 2008 with the help of KaBoom!, and in 2009, the interior of the Sports Center was repainted and park district grounds were cleaned up by volunteers during a Comcast Cares Day.

“The captain of the ship can’t steer the motor and drop the sails and everything else that has to be done,” Nehila said. “[KaBoom! and Comcast Cares Day] are two great examples of how the community realizes we have a good district, and they want to help. You can’t do that stuff without community involvement.”

Newport said that sounded just like his boss and mentor – to stand back and let others receive acknowledgment.

“He doesn’t take credit,” Newport said. “He likes to spread credit around. He likes to give tasks and other responsibilities. He really wants us to succeed in whatever direction we’re heading, whether it’s right here in Round Lake or if it’s some day moving on to somewhere else. That’s what I honestly believe.”

Pasternak agreed.

“The way he puts in play a vision, gives guidance and mentors his people, sets high expectations for them, and then gets out of their way, and steps in and interjects only when necessary ... he has much to do with our success in our community,” Pasternak said.

Getting to know ... Jeff Nehila

Occupation: Executive director of the Round Lake Area Park District
Age: 49
Family: Wife, Lisa; two daughters, 12-year-old Leah and 9-year-old Jana
Village of residence: Round Lake Heights
Education: Master's degree in recreation management from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse; bachelor's of science degree in business and management from the University of Maryland
Hobbies: Wood-working, kayaking and skiing

Read about the rest of this year's Forefronts winners at http://lakecountyjournals.com/news/forefronts.