Newsom Names Yomi Agunbiade New Director

MAYOR NEWSOM NAMES YOMI AGUNBIADE AS NEW PERMANENT DIRECTOR FOR RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT

New team fulfills Mayor’s commitment to restructure the Recreation and Parks Department Announces formal land transfer creating city’s newest park in Hayes Valley

San Francisco, CA – Mayor Gavin Newsom announced today a major restructuring of the Recreation and Parks Department by naming a new team to move forward his vision to improve parks and recreation services for all San Franciscans. The mayor named Yomi Agunbiade as the new permanent Director of the Recreation and Parks Department, Katie Petrucione as Chief Financial Officer, Dennis Kern as the first Chief Operations Manager since the 1970s, and Rhoda Parham as the new Head of Capital Division. Mayor Newsom also took this opportunity to formally announce the land transfer creating the city’s newest park in Hayes Valley.

Yomi’s extensive experience working for the City and County of San Francisco, and as someone who has overseen the sixth largest general fund City agency makes him the best choice for the job,” said Mayor Newsom. “San Francisco’s parks and recreation programs are a vital foundation for our great city. I am confident that Yomi and his new team will continue to work closely with the community so that we can deepen and secure civic engagement to improve parks and recreation services.”

Mr. Agunbiade has worked for over fourteen years with the City and County of San Francisco. As Acting Director for the department, Mr. Agunbiade has been responsible for the administration and maintenance of more than 200 parks, playgrounds, clubhouses, recreation centers, landmarks such as Coit Tower, the Conservatory of Flowers, Candlestick (Monster Park), the San Francisco Zoo, and the Palace of Fine Arts as well as supervising a staff of over 1100 employees

"Today, I take on officially the great responsibility of leading the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department into a bright and promising future,” said Mr. Agunbiade. “I want to thank Mayor Gavin Newsom for having the faith in me to get the job done. It is truly an honor."

In 2003 he managed the implementation of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s $400 million capital improvement program totaling over 471 individual projects at over 200 Recreation and Park properties throughout the City.

Prior to beginning his profession as an engineer, Mr. Agunbiade studied at San Francisco State University and was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1992. A world traveler, academic mentor, and a family man, Mr. Agunbiade is married to Mrs. Mimi Agunbiade and has three children, Ayo, Deji, and Nike.

The announcement at Hayes Green Park of the new Director and his team is also symbolic,” said Mayor Newsom. The mayor announced that on July 12, 2005, a resolution was passed by the Board of Supervisors to transfer jurisdiction over Hayes Green Park from the Department of Public Works to the Recreation and Park Department for Park and Open Space Uses. The resolution, which will be signed by the mayor allows for a landmark land transfer, creating the city’s newest park.

Source: Mayor Newsom's office