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Mike Snyder, Intermountain Regional Director for the National Park Service, Opts for Retirement

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Mike Snyder, the Intermountain regional director for the National Park Service, has decided to retire rather than take a reassignment. NPS photo.

Mike Snyder, the Intermountain regional director for the National Park Service who became a controversial figure over his "core ops" approach to budgeting, has decided to retire rather than take a reassignment.

Mr. Snyder announced his plans in a blog posted on the Park Service's intranet.

Mike Snyder's Blog: So long IMR family: I will leave you with a smile

On Monday of this week I traveled to Phoenix for a meeting on the Glen Canyon Dam and how its management affects the Grand Canyon. When I checked into my hotel, there was a fax waiting for me at the front desk. The fax was from the Director, telling me that I was being reassigned, effective in 15 days, to a compliance job in the Denver Service Center.

As you all know, being in the Senior Executive Service means that you can be reassigned at any time. It is something that all of us in that position understand. After the job here as Regional Director, though, I don’t think any other job can measure up in terms of the people you get to work with, the issues that engage you, and the places you get to go. So, I have decided to retire. My retirement date is March 2.

Laura Joss will be the acting Regional Director effective February 17. I know that all of you will work closely with her, support her, and keep carrying on the good work you are doing on behalf of the parks and the NPS mission.

A while back I wrote a blog in which I began with the line “So much of being successful depends on our initial approach and attitude” and ended it with “…every change in life requires a change in thinking.” I will apply that simple logic to the change that I am about to make. This is a new beginning and I am looking forward to all that lies ahead.

I want all of you to know how proud I am of the work you have accomplished for the National Park Service, and how much I enjoyed working with you. We have been through a lot together, and I have always been impressed by the professionalism, dedication and creativity of the people in this region.

As I look back on a long career with the NPS, I feel blessed to have been part of carrying out our mission and to have been able to work with so many talented people. I leave here with a smile, happy to have had such challenging and fulfilling work. Please take care of yourselves, and think first of the safety of your colleagues and friends. I hope our paths will cross again.

Comments

Wooohoo!!! This is great news!!


I wonder if there will be any fallout for the Core Ops team? I hope so. Snyder wasn't the one going to the parks, running the meetings, and reporting back whose job would be lost. Oh sorry, I mean what positions were to be eliminated - after all, this wasn't about the individuals in the positions, only the positions themselves. Sure. Right.


Every RD leaves a legacy both good and bad depending on your perspective. Mr. Snyder did not bring core- ops into the NPS alone. It originated when current Grand Canyon Superintendent Steve Martin was IMR RD, just prior to becoming Deputy Director, at that time Mr. Snyder was Deputy RD of IMR. Read into that what you want. Core-Ops led many to realize a heightened level of fiduciary responsibility. No mater how that realization came to pass the NPS needed it and still does! Yet many felt core-ops was a waste of time. A wide wake of retirements and re-assignments resulted from core-ops, some deserved, some not, some graceful, some ugly. Regardless difficult change ensued and the results remain. Let's hope the next IMR RD will be as bold as Mr. Snyder was with core-ops but, with positive results and that their leadership style leads is infused with the grace and strength to improve morel and enhance esprit de corp for all the employees of the IMR.

How Mr. Snyder's retirement transpired is the latest incident in the messy politics that have become the norm of senior management in the NPS. Too bad.....


The first law of NPS management is change makes waves. The second law is don't make waves.


The Intermountain Region and its resources and employees can now breathe a sigh of relief! This region has suffered through Snyder's "ideas" since its early in 1995 when Snyder was assigned to support office superintendent, onto a deputy regional director and then to regional director -- fifteen years of less-than forthright management. Although Snyder may not be reading this blog, he canno possibly be leaving this job with a smile. Who could possibly be going on to retirement with a smile on one's face being cognizant of the damage one has doe to resources and people. Snyder should follow his philosophy/principle "every chnage in life requires a change in thinking". Let's hope that he adheres to it -- or is it again, as Snyder has parcticed throuout his last few years in management/executive positions, a practice of spouting empty words and ideas. How many time did he imbue his "graciousness and eloquence of ideas" to gullible leadership?

Yes, Snyder di not always act alone, right Steve Martin? Snyder's practices were felt by many when he was deputy regional director. The practice only intensified when he was "annointed" regional director. Where was upper managment Ms. Bomar? Or was Snyder the appropriate pawn for the previous administration's interests. If so, they found an appropriate one. And where were the checks and balances Mr. Crowley? Sound personnel management and resource management has to be anchored on implementation of solid personnel regulations and resource management principles.

One cannot, as has been mentioned before, believe that Director Jarvis would sink so low as to employ the underhanded actions that Snyder and Martin employed. Director Jarvis, the Jon Jarvis that I know, is a man of integrity and would not employ cowardice practices in reassigning Snyder. Snyder had to have known, not just sensed, that his days were numbered when a career NPSer was nominated and by the Secretary and confirmed by the Senate that his days were numbered. Too many of the "green bloods" were most aware of Snyder's record and disregard of basic human practices and disregard for the stewardship of the resources with which he was entrusted. Knowing all of this in your heart Mr. Snyder, how can you leave with a smile?


This all sounds very familiar, somehow. Forty years ago, we were all hollering about top heavy management -- and we still are. But it's very refreshing to see an open forum like this. Sometimes, just sometimes, talking or writing openly brings improvement. We can hope so.

And it was impressive to see the openness of the editors when they inserted a small note indicating a post had been edited. There are other places where editing is done on the sly. Not here.

Keep up the good work, everyone!


After I read of Mike Snyder’s decision to retire, I went to the NPT blog that first appeared with the announcement of core operations being cancelled. It was incredibly hard to read and be reminded of all the sadness, shattered lives, ruined careers and lingering pain that lay in the wake of Snyder’s core operations and his own particular brand of brutality. But what is even more disturbing is that this kind of reign of terror could take place over a span of several years with no one in the so called leadership of the NPS willing to deal with this along with the many complicit at IMR who did his bidding without question. It will go down as the most shameful chapter in the history of the agency. How the current leadership deals with all that is left in Snyder’s wake of disaster and dysfunction in IMR will tell us all we need to know about whether anyone really gets it. Will current leadership take action to correct the situation and perhaps even hold some accountable?
The trail is there, just follow the money. Snyder choosing SES retirement is a shrewd exit strategy considering the punitive actions that could be possible. At a minimum, Snyder aught to understand how reviled he is and just leave quietly, minus sending out the insulting all IMR employee blog to tell us he is leaving us with a smile. Riiiiiiight. More like smiling all the way to the bank.


"The NPS Director is using the same poor NPS supervisory leadership transition techniques on Mr. Snyder, that Mr. Snyder used on many of his superintendents. This case is illuminating, and I must say, not reassuring in regards to Director Jarvis. Mr. Snyder was not a good RD, but to end a career by FAX is another example of what is wrong with NPS leadership. It is weak, unethical and fosters a work environment of distrust."

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It is discouraging to note the lack of critical reading skills on the part of this contributor and a few others: taking one interested party's account of an incident as definitive, neither questioning its veracity nor inquiring whether there might be more to the story. Before condemning the Director for "poor supervisory leadership transition techniques" and tossing around terms such as "weak" and "unethical," it would be wise to do a little more fact-checking.


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