The Chester Bowl Improvement Club announced Sunday that David Schaeffer will become the program’s new executive director. David will be working alongside longtime executive director Thom Storm for approximately one year.
While Chester Bowl is a City of Duluth park, all of the programs at the park are operated by the non-profit, volunteer-run Chester Bowl Improvement Club. That includes the winter downhill skiing program that serves more than 1,000 youth and adult skiers and snowboarders; the summer day camp program for youth; assisting the city of Duluth with the Tuesday night summer concert series; and other activities at Duluth’s most popular park.
Schaeffer has more than 10 years’ experience leading non-profit youth programming, including the past seven years as director of Mentor Duluth, the highly praised program that pairs volunteer adults with Twin Ports’ children in need of adult friendship and leadership. He’s also served as the Harbor Highland s Community Center Director since 2012.
David previously worked as director of education and guest services at the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth. He has a master’s in education from UMD and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in environmental forest biology from State University of New York
Schaefer is also a neighbor of and frequent visitors of Chester Bowl. He’s an avid skier and his daughter is a winter skier and summer camper here at Chester Bowl.
Storm, who has worked at the park since 1975, will stay on through May 1, 2015 to help with the transition to new leadership.
“David is uniquely qualified to accept the Chester Bowl torch that’s being passed down by Thom Storm,’’ said Ann Myers, president of the Chester Bowl Improvement Club. “Chester Bowl will lose a legend next year when Thom retires. But the Chester Bowl legacy of providing a safe, fun place for kids and families to be outdoors will be in good hands.”