East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors Announces New General Manager

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On November 8, 2010, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors announced that Robert E. Doyle was selected to become the new general manager of the Park District effective January 1, 2011. Doyle will replace retiring General Manager Pat O’Brien. Doyle, the current Assistant General Manager for Interagency and Regional Trail Planning, Land Acquisition and Environmental Review, has spent 35 years working at the Park District. He began his career as a park ranger, working in seven Regional Parks, and moving to the Planning & Design Department as a resource analyst and then to the Land Acquisition Department as the trail specialist. Later, Doyle became Chief of Land and Trail Planning before becoming an assistant general manager in 1990. 

“The choice of Bob Doyle is an excellent selection. Bob’s extensive experience in the overall operations of the Park District and his experience in governmental and legislative affairs render a continuation and enhancement of the strong traditions of the general managers who have lead this agency,” states O’Brien.

The seven-member board of directors selected Doyle from among several internal candidates after an extensive review and interview process. “I applaud the Board on establishing a thorough review process for the selection of our next general manager. Certainly there were well-experienced candidates for the Board to consider,” says O’Brien, who has served the agency for 22 years and has become a nationally recognized leader in park and recreation and special district industries.

Board members stressed that Doyle was chosen for his extensive land acquisition and management experience along with his strong planning background and vision for the future of the Park District.

“The Board and I feel very fortunate that Bob will bring his extensive experience both with the Park District and in legislative affairs to the job,” announced Doug Siden, President of the Park District Board of Directors.

Doyle’s achievements at the Park District include authoring expenditure plans for both the $500 million Measure WW Regional Open Space, Wildlife, Shoreline and Parks Bond Extension approved by voters in 2008, and the earlier Measure AA approved in 1988. He developed the master plan for the Park District’s nationally recognized multi-use urban trail system, which received a $10.2 million U.S. Department of Transportation Grant. Doyle was also the lead negotiator for a partnership with the Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan that has resulted in thousands of acres of preserved open space in east Contra Costa County in the past three years.

“Bob has shown his dedication to the environment and the Park District beginning in high school. This is quite remarkable, as is his extensive knowledge of open space in the East Bay,” adds Board Vice President Beverly Lane.

Doyle says he was quite humbled and honored to be selected as the new general manager.  “Pat O’Brien is a tough act to follow, but he’s led us well, creating a strong sense of integrity and purpose in fulfilling our mission to the public. I thank the Board for this opportunity. I know the caliber of the other three candidates was outstanding. They are all leaders with a deep commitment to the District, and the Board couldn’t have had an easy decision.”

Doyle is a founding member of Save Mount Diablo, a nonprofit land trust and conservation organization. As Board president, he led the organization from 1,000 to 5,000 members. He also was a board member of the Bay Area Open Space Council and a founding board member of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council, and was appointed to the first Board of Directors of the Agricultural-Natural Resources Trust of Contra Costa County. He has received industry recognition including a Mountain Star Award from Save Mount Diablo (2002) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from California Trails and Greenways (2010).

He attended Diablo Valley College, San Francisco State University, and Saint Mary’s College in Moraga as well as completing continuing education courses at University of California at Davis, the International Right of Way Association, and the National Park and Recreation Association. He is a resident of Walnut Creek and was born and raised in Contra Costa County.

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