New State Park Director Named

(Jefferson City) The Missouri Department of Natural Resources today named Mike Sutherland as director of State Parks.

Sutherland has served as acting division director since Nov. 15th when former Director Ben Ellis retired.

Prior to that, Sutherland served as deputy division director since joining the department in June 2017.

Sutherland is a longtime supporter of Missouri’s state park system and outdoor recreation.

A native of Warrenton who now lives in Jefferson City, Sutherland is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, biking and kayaking.

His adventures include a 50k ultramarathon, the Missouri River 340, hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in one day, biking the OT100 mountain bike race and competing in the Ironman World Triathlon Championships in Kona, Hawaii.