It’s been over a week now since Amanda Gutierrez was named as the new permanent director of rec operations for the Lee Beran Recreation Center; however, aside from her title, Gutierrez expects a lot will stay the same from an operational standpoint.
During an interview with KVOE News Wednesday morning, Gutierrez stated she plans to still be very active and visible within the local community as she has been throughout her tenure at the rec center.
Not everything will be quite the same, however, and Gutierrez acknowledged that noting the new title comes with new responsibilities, however, she expects many of the changes for her day-to-day will be more behind the scenes, with the biggest in her mind being the annual budget.
As for her immediate goals as leader of the rec center, Gutierrez says it is important to focus on how she and her team can continue to expand rec programming within the confines of their current space, with plans for a new expanded rec center still on hold.
Gutierrez takes over for longtime Director Tom McEvoy, who retired in December after nearly 40 years of involvement in local rec operations. Gutierrez previously served as assistant director under McEvoy for many years before being named as interim director in December.
The Emporia Recreation Commission named Gutierrez as the new permanent director last Monday following two weeks of interviews with finalists. Also interviewed for the position were Fred Lowery, the Recreation and Operations Superintendent at Hilton Head Island Recreation in South Carolina, and John Mark Woolums, a former facility program manager for Deerfield Park District in Illinois.
