News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2024
Contacts: General Park Information: 928-608-6200
Media Inquiries Only: Mary Plumb,[email protected]
Glen Canyon Welcomes Rich Sweeting as Chief of Facilities Management
PAGE, Ariz. – Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Glen Canyon) is pleased to announce Rich Sweeting has been selected as our new Chief of Facilities Management. Rich came to Glen Canyon from Shenandoah National Park, where he served 4 years as Project Manager for major construction projects. Rich is a recent graduate of the Facility Manager Leaders Program, an intensive year-long study promoting responsible stewardship and protection of assets of the National Park Service.
Glen Canyon Deputy Superintendent Jake Ohlson stated, “Rich brings a wealth of skill and experience in facility management and project management but I’m most excited to bring his proven leadership abilities to our Park Management and Facilities Teams.”
According to Rich, “I am looking forward to working with our partners and addressing the complex issues that have arisen due to Lake Powell’s fluctuating lake levels in recent years and working together to determine the best way forward.”
As Chief of Facilities Management, Rich is responsible for overseeing one of the most complex facilities programs in the National Park Service (NPS). This office manages buildings and structures, utilities, trails, and equipment to support the operations of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Glen Canyon’s 1.25 million acres are geographically dispersed through northern Arizona and southeast Utah.
Prior to his work at Shenandoah National Park, Rich served 24 years in the U.S. Army, where he completed two tours in Iraq, two tours in Afghanistan, and one tour in Israel. He retired in 2018 as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. Honors received from the Army include a Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Stars, 2 Meritorious Service Medals, 7 Army Commendation Medals, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, and 9 Army Achievement Medals. Rich worked in corporate America for 2 years after the Army, as General Manager of an electrical testing company.
Rich has a Bachelor of Business Administration, Project Management degree from Liberty University. He also holds several certifications and has completed multiple leadership and technical courses.
He and wife Rosemary like to travel to parks and see new things. Their goal is to visit every national park and so far, they have been to 45 of the 63.
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Photo: Rich Sweeting, new Chief of Facilities Management at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. NPS Photo.
More park information is available on each park’s website: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area or Rainbow Bridge National Monument
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 429 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at http://www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
Office of Communications, Public Affairs
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Rainbow Bridge National Monument
National Park Service
[email protected]