CALUMET - After several years of working to get funding for the position, the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission finally has an executive director to run its day-to-day operations.
At the advisory commission's quarterly meeting Tuesday, commission Chairwoman Kim Hoagland said Congress recently approved a $200,000 appropriation for the commission, and it's being put to use immediately.
"What we decided to do was use it all to hire staff," she said.
During the spring, Hoagland said the commission advertised for the position.
"We received eight applications," she said. "We interviewed three. We ended up hiring Scott See."
See was fund development director for the commission for about one year, and Hoagland said he has an advantage knowing the commission and the park.
"He's very familiar with our organization and has good ideas," she said.
Hoagland said See has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Michigan Technological University and a master's degree in labor and industrial relations from Michigan State University. He also has a master's degree in industrial archaeology from Tech, and is working on a Ph.D. in industrial archaeology from Tech. He also worked 12 years in human resources at Intel Corporation in California.
Hoagland said the executive director position is funded for two years.
See said for that two years he will be the sole staff person in the executive director's office. Most of the $200,000 will go to operations of the position.
Initially, See said he will be working on finalizing a mission statement for the advisory commission, and putting into writing five major goals, which include: advising the National Park Service on the needs of KNHP; continuing the development of the park's Heritage Sites; developing partnerships with other organizations; making certain KNHP is adhering to the preservation ethic; and developing the commission into a sustainable entity.
"We've had a tradition where funding has been inconsistent," See said about making the commission sustainable.
See said he also has four priorities during the two years of the grant, including creating a grant program that can be used by organizations or entities outside the park boundaries. Currently, the Keweenaw Heritage Grant program only applies to organizations or entities within the park boundaries.
"We want to make sure there's funding for people interested in heritage," he said.
See said he hopes an administrative assistant can be funded for the director eventually.
"What I foresee is that we would develop a staffing plan," he said.
See said he appreciates the confidence of the commission in hiring him.
"I think this is an exciting time for the park," he said. "I'm excited to be part of it."
Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie @mininggazette.com.