Tom Hoby, director of Parks, Recreation and Open Space for Highlands Ranch Metro District, has been hired to head Jefferson County’s Community Resources Department, which includes the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, Boettcher Mansion, CSU Extension and Jefferson County Open Space.  

“Tom is a consummate professional with a collaborative approach to problem solving,” said County Administrator Ralph Schell. An interview panel made up of representatives of local parks departments, the Open Space Advisory Committee, Plan Jeffco, Fair Advisory Board and others unanimously recommended Hoby for the position.

“Tom has the whole package of skills that we need to manage Jefferson County Open Space and our diverse Community Resources divisions, Schell said. “He has worked extensively with landowners, has a passion for land preservation and environmental education, and is known for engaging citizens of all ages, helping them connect with the land. I’ve known Tom through our professional organizations for 15 years and I look forward to his joining Jefferson County. He is highly regarded throughout the open space, parks and recreation community.” 

Jefferson County Open Space is the oldest county Open Space program in the nation.  It has acquired and preserved more than 51,000 acres since its creation in 1972. 

The director of Open Space/Community Resources has a dual role. As Open Space director, Hoby will work closely with the board of county commissioners, county administrator and Open Space Advisory Committee. He will oversee the management and operations of the sales tax-funded program and the five sections that make up the Open Space Division: Acquisition, Administration & Education Services, Citizen Outreach, Park Services, and Planning & Development.  Jeffco Open Space has 94 full-time-equivalent staff and 800 to 1,000 volunteers who assist with the program each year.   

As director of the Community Resources Department, Hoby will have broad executive oversight of Open Space, and also Boettcher Mansion, the historic Lookout Mountain home of the Boettcher family that is now an event and wedding venue; CSU Extension, which provides 4-H youth programs, family and consumer assistance, horticulture and natural resources programs; and the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, which each year hosts more than 500 events.

Hoby will begin his new duties March 31. "Leading the Community Resources Department and one of the finest public open space programs in the country to continued success is an exciting new challenge that I am honored to accept,” Hoby commented. “I look forward to working with all the good folks in Jefferson County to sustain and enhance the quality outdoor experiences that are so close to home for so many people.”

During his 17 years with the Metro District, Hoby built consensus among citizens, elected officials, developers and partners to secure $130 million of funding for open space, parks, parkways and trails projects and initiatives. He also led efforts to create a model green infrastructure community with a parks and open space system that totaled 3,000 acres and included 24 parks, more than 70 miles of trails, 33 buildings and numerous amenities.

Hoby’s impressive career includes positions as director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Essex, Vt., and City of Lafayette, Colo. Adding to his well-rounded experience, he was associate executive director for Special Olympics Colorado, where he led statewide and regional programs serving 5,000 people with developmental disabilities participating in 18 sports throughout the year. He began his career as an outdoor recreation planner with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, working in Pinedale, Wyo., and Kremmling, Colo.

Hoby is a 29-year veteran of the parks and recreation industry, and is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Outdoor Recreation Administration. He is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional, and has been active as a member of many industry committees. He is past president of the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) and received the CPRA Fellow Award, as well as the National Recreation and Park Association Fellow Award.  

For more information, please contact Kathryn Heider, Jefferson County Public Information, at 303-271-8515 or kheider@jeffco.us.